Roadtrip!
by Whitewolfffy
Summary: When summer vacation rolls around, the only plans Kagome has lie in the Feudal Era. But when her friends make plans for a roadtrip to follow a band around Japan, she wants to go. Inuyasha follows. What chaos will unravel on this trip?
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: I do _not_ own Inuyasha or any of the main characters. I do, however, own Katsuo and his lovely blue eyes ;) If I _did_ own Inuyasha, Kikyo would have never been resurrected like the damn zombie she is! AND Inuyasha and Kagome would be happily married and in love.**

* * *

**~ Chapter One ~**

Sunlight filtered in through the window's blinds. The students waited in their seats, set and waiting while the seconds ticked by. In the very back of the rows of seats a girl had her head lying on her folded arms.

"Kagome! Kagome, wake up!"

The young girl jolted up suddenly. Right then the school's bell rang in a clear monotone, causing chaos to break out in the classroom.

"Summer is here! Finally!"

"We can sleep in now!"

"I'll race you out the door!"

"I'm heading to the game store!"

Kagome watched with wide eyes as students flooded out of the room. Everyone was pumped with energy and excited at the free time that lay in front of them.

"I can't believe you fell asleep on the last day of school," Ayumi sighed, "You should really learn some manners."

Kagome blushed faintly. She had been exhausted from fighting demons all week, so she couldn't help but fall asleep in class.

As she walked down the halls, Eri and Yuka joined them. They immediately went right into chattering excitedly about their plans for summer vacation.

"Hey, Yuka, what are you guys talking about?"

Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi stopped and turned to look at their friend. She looked clueless, so was it possible that she, indeed, didn't know yet?

_Didn't her mom talk to her this morning?_ Eri wondered.

"Kagome, do you remember the band called _Black Blossoms_?" Yuka began.

"Yeah! I have quite a few of their CDs!"

The four walked past the school-grounds and turned onto a street. People walked briskly all over the Tokyo streets, stopping at red lights and stop signs and chattering into their cell phones. Kagome smiled; this was what she had grown up with. It felt nice to return to a different sort of busyness every once in a while.

"Well, they're going on tour around Japan, you see." Eri explained animatedly.

Yuka nodded in agreement, "We got permission from our parents to follow them around this summer. We'll probably spend just a few weeks on the road."

They stopped outside of a restaurant, one that they had gone to many times after school. Kagome's eyes widened at her friends' news. That sounded like so much fun! She felt her excitement bubble up.

_Oh, I would love to go with them! I can only imagine all of the concerts and the memories we would make._

Suddenly her eagerness drained away. The Feudal Era…she would have to go there during the summer. Kagome tried to ignore the disappointment that made her heart sink.

"Well," She tried to smile, "Get a souvenir for me."

Ayumi put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow.

"Kagome, what are you talking about? You are coming with us; we already talked to your mom about it. She said she would inform you this morning before school."

Come to think of it, her mom _had_ tried to talk to her this morning. But her alarm hadn't gone off, so she ended up getting up late and almost being tardy for school. She had literally sprinted out the door with only a 'hello' and 'goodbye' to her mother.

"I'm sorry, guys, but I can't go. I have plans for the summer."

Yuka shook her head, "If your plans are with your boyfriend, then bring him along, too. My dad is letting us take the family camping bus."

"A _bus_!" Kagome blinked in shock, "How many people are going?"

"Six people including you and your boyfriend; my brother is coming."

Kagome sighed. A little girl smiled at her and waved from inside the restaurant. She waved back and reluctantly returned her attention back to her friends. They were making this harder for her to say no.

A certain half-demon would probably say no and demand that she stay behind, but she really wanted to go this time. She never got to do fun things in her own time and this had 'fun' written all over it.

_Wait, maybe if I snuck over to Ayumi's house tonight and slept there, I could go! Inuyasha wouldn't be able to come get me in the morning because I wouldn't be there. I can tell mom to not tell him till later on, and by then he won't know where I went! Ugh, that would be mean, though. But…he'll be mad…_

Kagome mentally argued with herself for a good two minutes. Her friends watched her patiently, hoping that she would say yes. Kagome really needed some free time out of her house, and this would be perfect.

_Besides_, she thought, _Inuyasha always complains that I waste his time, so maybe this will be a good thing._

After a pause to make sure that she wouldn't feel guilty, Kagome met her friends' eyes.

"Alright, I'm in."


	2. Chapter Two

** ~ Chapter Two ~**

The rest of the day went smoothly, and Kagome spent her time planning with her mother on things for the trip. Her friends were going to head out the next morning, so she would have to bring all the cash she could as well as lots of clothes and supplies. Sota seemed a little disappointed that he wouldn't see her for a little over a month, but he soon cheered up when she informed him that Inuyasha would visit the house.

"Now, Sota," She said seriously while preparing supplies, "You can't tell Inuyasha about where I am going. Don't tell him _anything_. I mean it."

"But…but _why_?"

"Because if Inuyasha knew where I am going, he would end up dragging me down the well with him. I don't want him to know anything, understand?"

She couldn't have been happier when Sota promised on it.

That night she quietly headed up to her room, finishing her packing as swiftly as she could.

* * *

The night was pleasant, with the stars twinkling in the black sky and fireflies filling Kagome's front yard.

Inuyasha spent many nights sitting out here without her knowledge of it. At the moment he was sitting against the Ancient Tree, his golden eyes fixed on her window. He could hear her moving around in her room, the sound of materials – clothes? – being folded and unfolded. He wasn't quite sure what she was doing, but he did know that she was going somewhere tonight. She had chattered about it excitedly to her cat about half an hour ago.

He crossed his arms over his chest, determination setting in.

_She can be so stupid sometimes. Hasn't she realized by now that I'll go wherever she goes? It's my job to take care of her._

Her warm chocolate eyes and bright smile appeared in his mind's eye.

_I won't let you go anywhere by yourself, Kagome. _

And hour or two passed before anything changed. He didn't move, but instead listened to her cheerful humming. A few minutes later he heard her footsteps on the stairs.

Inuyasha stood up and prepared himself. She emerged out of the door quietly, holding a large square thing that bulged and a bag in her other hand. She was wearing a green dress that went to her knees. It was late out, so he couldn't understand where on earth she would be going at such a time.

As Kagome tip-toed across the yard, she looked over her shoulder several times. She wasn't exactly sure herself why she did it, after all, her mother knew where she was going. But somehow she just had a feeling that Inuyasha would appear at any moment. His presence felt so close.

She made her way to storage shed and pulled out her bike, setting her suitcase and bag firmly on the metal basket on the back. As she was about to climb on the bike, strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her off.

Kagome let out a screech and kicked, trying to squirm out of the stranger's grip. Her brain ran over all of the self-defense movements her mother had showed her.

"Stop squirming, it's just me."

Oddly, the voice that was so finely tinted with sarcasm and irritation made her body relax. Kagome leaned against him instead of pulling away.

"What on earth are you doing here?"

"That's my line."

Suddenly understanding seeped back into her and she felt uneasiness tone every muscle in her body. Why was he at her house so early, or more accurately, so late?

"Inuyasha, I was just…"

"Going for a ride?"

He sounded strongly aggravated. Kagome swallowed and nodded. They stood in the same position, her bike awkwardly leaning against his hip. She felt her heart pounding in her chest, and she absent-mindedly wondered if it was from adrenaline or him.

"Kagome, I want you to tell me where you are going."

She inhaled slowly and carefully, trying to think.

"Uh…I'm going to a f-friend's house."

She heard his familiar grunt.

"I'm not stupid. You could have waited till tomorrow. Why do you have so many…bag-things?"

Kagome bit her lip, "I'm going…on a trip."

It was too late to take it back, now. She had to just let it out, just like ripping the band-aid off briskly.

"Where might this trip take you?" He sounded…restrained. Like there was something underneath that controlled voice, something fierce.

"I'm going on a trip with my friends to go exploring Japan."

It wasn't lying, and if she told him the complete story, he wouldn't understand it anyway. He didn't even know what a 'band' was.

"No, you are not. What about me?"

"Indeed, what _about_ you?"

He paused, and she took the chance to add something in.

"Inuyasha, I'll be back as soon as I possibly can. I won't be gone that long." Lie.

She felt the guilt welling-up now.

"No."

What? He was already rejecting her plan? She had at least expected some ranting first.

"I'm not going to let you go by yourself."

Kagome back-peddled mentally. Hold on, hold on, and hold on. _By herself? By herself…by herself?_ What?

"Inuyasha, what do you mean 'not by myself'?"

His hands fell from her waist and flew up to grab her shoulders. She only blinked as he spun her around to look at her.

"I'm not letting you go anywhere by yourself. There might not be anymore demons in this world, 'technically' as you say, but this place is still dangerous. If you are going anywhere, I am going, too."

Kagome just stared back at him. Did that mean he was letting her go? Wait, no, 'letting' was too strong of a word. It was more like he was giving her conditions that he had to be a bodyguard to her. But that was still a yes, right? Her thoughts scrolled uncontrollably over the pros and cons to the situation if she agreed with him on this. It would be very terrible if the girls found out that he was a half-demon, but they hadn't noticed or asked any questions up till now, so that was a good sign.

Kagome pursed her lips, and after a moment of thinking, she finally gave in.

"Fine! But you also will be conditioned."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, "What sort of conditions?"

"You have to wear a hat at _all_ times. No yelling, no sniffing, and most definitely _no_ unsheathing Tetsusaiga…at all!"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, but as he was about to speak, she pressed her finger against his mouth.

"Rule number one, Inuyasha, is no acting suspicious in any way. You must act human on this trip or else everyone will find out what you are and I will be in _big_ trouble."

He stared at her for a moment before finally nodding. She was shocked at how quickly he had agreed. And so, it was decided that Inuyasha would go on the trip.

Ayumi was pleasantly surprised when Kagome called her and informed her that staying the night wouldn't be necessary since Inuyasha was coming anyway. After all, she didn't have to hide from him until morning, so there was no reason that she couldn't stay at her own house.

Inuyasha, as normal, sat on her floor that night when it was time for bed. He watched her silently from across the room as she slept.

* * *

**Hello, my lovely readers! Yes, I am back, and yes, this story (I promise) is going to be a lot longer than my first one. I meant to put this under Adventure/Romance/Humor, but *sniffle* you can only put down two. So, yes, there IS romance in here! (God help any writer who writes a story with Inuyasha and Kagome and doesn't acknowledge the way they feel towards each other). Yes, I will write little notes at the bottom of a chapter every once in a while. I think it helps me keep connected with all of you in a weird, but personal way. So, please keep reading while I keep updating. I ABSOLUTELY ADORE REVIEWS!!! I literally am fueled by them, so please, please, please let me know what you think. Thanks, again, and ttyl!**

**~ Yet again, my undying gratitude to Rumiko Takahashi. You are a splendid and brilliant writer and artist. If you never read this, I won't mind. It's the thought that counts ;)**


	3. Chapter Three

**~ Chapter Three ~**

The alarm went off at six in the morning, and Kagome woke to find that Inuyasha wasn't in her room. She heard his voice echo from downstairs, so she briskly started to dress. All of her things were packed and ready to go, so once she was dressed and her hair and teeth were brushed, Kagome rushed down the stairs and into the dining room.

Gramps, Sota, and Inuyasha chattered at the table and ate, but her mom was on the phone.

"Good morning, sweetheart," Her mother chirped, "Yuka is on the phone."

"Thanks, Momma."

Kagome picked up the phone from her mother's hands.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Kagome! Are you ready to come over soon?"

"Not yet. Inuyasha and I still have to eat and grab the bags. When are you guys leaving?"

"Ayumi and Eri will be over in an hour, so we will leave then."

"Alright!" Kagome could feel the excitement building up in her limbs.

"Hey, Kagome?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Can I talk to your boyfriend for a minute?"

The young girl blushed faintly at the title. Sure, her friends said it a lot, but they still used it too loosely for Inuyasha. It made her get a headache when she thought on it too much.

"Sure."

Kagome looked over her shoulder. She was surprised that he looked up to meet her gaze, as if sensing that she was about to call his name.

"Inuyasha, my friend, Yuka, wants to speak with you for a moment."

"She's inside that machine!?"

He stood up and walked over to her, staring in alarm at the phone.

"No, she isn't. Just talk to her and _please_ try to speak normally."

The half-demon picked up the machine with caution, eyeing it as he placed it against his ear the way he had seen Kagome do.

"Hello?"

"Hey! So, you are the boyfriend that we met that one time?"

"Uh…boyfriend? I…erm…suppose."

_I am a boy…and a friend…so, I guess that is true. Jeez, Kagome's world uses such strange words. And why does this girl sound so accusing? I didn't do anything…that I remember…_

"Alright, then," The strange girl agreed, "In that case, I need to give you a talking-to."

Kagome sat down at the table, watching Inuyasha carefully. He seemed to be staring at the wall in front of the phone with such a serious expression. What on earth could Yuka tell him that was so important?

Trying to ignore Inuyasha, Kagome grabbed an omelette off the plate on the table. She vigilantly chewed each piece she put in her mouth, her eyes flickering back to the boy every few seconds.

Eventually, after what felt like way too long, Inuyasha looked back at her and smiled. She blinked. He _smiled_? Inuyasha didn't smile very often…

"Your friend wants to speak with you again."

Kagome eagerly rose from the floor and rushed back over, grabbing the phone from his hands. She pressed it to her ear, watching him warily as he walked back to the table.

"Yuka?"

"Hey, Kagome! Well, Ayumi just arrived early, so you guys should hurry over."

"Yuka, what did you-?"

"Kagome, I have to go. Hurry up and get over here!"

"Yuk-"

A click finished the conversation. Kagome sighed and put the phone back on the receiver, a little irritated. She turned on her heel and walked back to the table, finished her food, and looked at Inuyasha.

"Are you ready to go?"

He blinked and nodded. Kagome looked so…stressed. And yet just a moment ago she had been so excited that it had practically emitted an aura. Inuyasha sighed.

Kagome rode on Inuyasha's back, her stuffed backpack in her arms, and Inuyasha held the suitcase like it weighed no less than a feather. When they arrived at Yuka's house, all of the girls were waiting in the front yard. The bus was parked in the drive way, and the girls' were talking cheerfully.

"Hey, you two!" Eri hollered a greeting with a bright smile.

Kagome returned the smile and climbed off her companion's back. The girls' crowded around her, offering hugs and thrilled expressions.

"The bus is ready to go, Ayumi, and there is extra room in the storage area."

Kagome's eyes widened as Hojo approached them. He was dressed in a polo-shirt and vest, with a bright smile on his face. Inuyasha stepped halfway in front of Kagome, his eyes following Hojo with a protective look in them.

"Hojo? What are you doing here!? Are you going, too?"

The young boy nodded, his eyes flickering from Inuyasha to Kagome.

"Yeah, I am. Yuka's brother is my best friend, so he invited me."

"Isn't this going to be fun!?" Eri exclaimed in a sing-song voice.

The silence that followed wasn't near as nerve-wracking as the look Inuyasha was directing at Hojo. Hojo seemed to slowly understand the expression, and he glanced at Kagome before exchanging a look that seemed to say 'I challenge you'.

_If looks could kill, we would need an ambulance for Hojo…_ Kagome mused as she watched Inuyasha's face with worry.

"Well, we are about to leave, so if you are planning on coming with us you better get in the bus!" A voice yelled from inside the vehicle.

Everyone quickly boarded and found a seat. Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand and dragged him to the back, sitting down.

His eyes didn't leave the other boy for even a moment as the doors were closed and the bus started up. The young priestess bit her lip, anxiety starting to replace her excitement.

"Inuyasha, stop looking at Hojo. Please? You are going to cause me trouble."

That last part seemed to get his attention. The half-demon turned his gaze to her face and stared at her. He could smell worry and unease in her scent, and that bothered him. So, just so that he wouldn't ruin Kagome's mood, he looked out the window.

_This is probably going to be a long trip…_


	4. Chapter Four

**~ Chapter Four ~**

The first hour in the bus wasn't torturous…but in Kagome's opinion, it certainly was uncomfortable. Hojo kept looking over his shoulder at Kagome, and every time he did, he was met by a burning glare from her companion. After the twenty-eighth time, he finally just set his eyes on the scenery outside.

Kagome blushed in realization that her hand was still in Inuyasha's. He held her hand loose, almost gently. She looked up to stare at his face, but he was looking outside. The only time he would turn to look at anything was when Hojo would chance a glance at Kagome. She swallowed and looked down at her small hand in his. It made her feel warm all-over.

As she was about to open her mouth, Ayumi stood up and walked down the aisle.

"So, what are the both of you up to?" She inquired with a glint in her eyes.

Kagome blinked a few times before smiling back, "Nothing, we're just enjoying the scenery."

Ayumi's eyes fell to their hands and a smirk played on her lips.

"I'm so _bored_!" Yuka pouted as she walked down to join them.

Inuyasha's hand slowly tightened around hers. All of her friends were now huddling in a circle in front of them, sitting on the seats up close. He wrinkled his nose as all of their scents assaulted him at once. It was so difficult to learn each of them when they appeared strongly all at once.

He turned to look at them when one of the girls called his name. Kagome's free hand reached up to tug the hat down on his head, making sure it was on securely, he assumed.

"So, Inuyasha, what do you like to do on road-trips?"

"On what?"

"We like to…uh…play games!" Kagome offered for him.

Eri hopped up and down, "Oh! That sounds like so much fun! Let's play a game!"

Kagome pursed her lips and gripped the boy's hand. This was going to prove difficult to handle, although she had never expected less on this trip.

"What sort of game?" She asked quite cautiously.

Ayumi pressed her finger against the side of her mouth in thought. Finally her eyes lit up and she made a fist with her hand, ramming it against her other palm.

"I got it! Let's play that game that we played at Kagome's fourteenth birthday!"

"What game was that?" Yuka blinked.

"I can't remember the name! Hmm…you asked a person a question and then they had to answer truthfully or they would pay a consequence."

"Truth or Dare?"

Ayumi nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah! That's the one!"

Kagome's mouth fell open and she clamped it shut immediately. What an awful game to suggest playing with Inuyasha of all people! And on top of that, there were three boys and four girls, and one of the boys was driving. Her friends knew how embarrassing that game was to Kagome. Plus, they believed that Inuyasha was her boyfriend, so they would probably make the 'consequences'…well, disturbingly nerve-wracking. They couldn't do this to her – they just couldn't!

"No, no, and _no_!" She exclaimed, horrified.

"Why not?" Eri pouted, "It will be fun!"

"It would be a nightmare!"

"Hojo could play with us!"

"Again – no!"

"Please? Please? _Please_?"

Kagome was getting flustered now, "NO!"

Yuka turned to Inuyasha, a determined look set in her features.

"Well, what do _you_ want to do, Inuyasha?"

Everyone's attention was zoned in on the boy's response. He looked from Kagome's appalled expression to her friends' eager and hopeful ones. Finally he swallowed and looked down at his hand that was tenderly enveloping Kagome's.

"I don't care."

The girls chimed 'Harrah!' at the same time, their ecstatic expressions glowing.

"Then we shall start the game!"

Kagome buried her face in his shoulder, feeling utter hopelessness seep into her.


	5. Chapter Five

**Hey, everyone! I hope you are enjoying the story so far, I know I am. Please post reviews if you can, I truly do love the advice and encouragement. ^.^ I promise that this will be a lot longer than my last story, and I will definitely take your suggestions to strong consideration. Thank you all for sticking around and reading! If there is something you don't understand, feel free to ask me. I like answering questions ;) Well, ttyl for now.**

**Whitewolfffy ~**

**

* * *

**** ~ Chapter Five ~**

Truth or Dare is basically a game of wits. You have to be able to read someone's facial expressions and physical reactions to the words coming out of your mouth. If someone's eye twitches when they are lying, then you know whether they told the truth or not. On top of that, you must be able to know their weaknesses, that way they won't want to lie, for fear of the 'consequence'.

Kagome pondered this while Yuka, Ayumi, Eri, Hojo, and Inuyasha circled around her in the seats. Inuyasha was completely oblivious of the torture they were about to face. If he had a slight idea there might be any trouble, he was suspecting it from the wrong target. His amber eyes bore into Hojo's innocent brown ones.

"Alright, children, we shall begin by choosing who goes first. Who is the oldest?"

Kagome snickered, unable to hold it back.

_Technically, Inuyasha is the oldest. He was around seventeen when he was pinned to the tree, and he stayed on it for fifty years. My 'boyfriend' is elderly._

Yuka raised an eyebrow, "Do you have something to share with us?"

"Nope." The girl quickly replied.

Ayumi looked at Inuyasha.

"How old are you?"

_Sixty-seven._

"Uh…eighteen years and twenty-three days."

Her friends stared at him, astonished.

"You're a senior!?"

Kagome blinked a few times, stunned, but for a different reason.

"No, I'm eighte-"

"Inuyasha is home-schooled." Kagome quickly interjected.

Eri smiled warmly, "That's so cool! I've heard that home-schooling is fun."

Yuka huffed, placing her hands on her hips.

"_Anyway_, since Inuyasha is obviously the oldest, he will go first."

Kagome swallowed, leaning over to whisper in his ear.

"Basically, she is saying that you get to play first."

The young hanyou's eyes widened, "I don't know how to play this game, though."

"All you do is you ask a person 'Truth or Dare'. If they choose 'dare', you dare them to do something."

"_Anything_?"

"Anything! But, if they pick 'truth', you ask them any question you want. They have to answer truthfully or they pay a consequence."

A sinful glint appeared in Inuyasha's eyes.

"Do I get to beat them up if they lie or something?"

Kagome sighed and shook her head, "No, but they have to do something they don't want to. Just choose someone already."

She leaned back and examined her friends' expectant faces. They all watched him carefully, waiting for him to choose someone.

"You," his finger pointed at Hojo accusingly, "Truth or Dare?"

Hojo swallowed, "Truth."

Inuyasha smiled wickedly. Inwardly Kagome wondered if he had been hoping Hojo would choose that.

"What are you to Kagome?" He said it so accusingly, so darkly and protectively, that he could have hollered the question at the boy and it still would have had the same effect.

Hojo blinked and flushed. Inuyasha's golden eyes narrowed, examining the boy's reaction with suspicion.

"Uh…she is a nice girl…and...erm…friend…"

Inuyasha's face didn't show any sign of relief or unwinding. Instead he seemed even tenser. Kagome gently laid a hand on his arm.

"Inuyasha…"

_Damn human…he wants her. I can smell it in his scent, and the way he keeps looking at her makes it even more obvious. If he touches her – no, if he even __**looks**__ at her funny – he'll be missing an important piece of his anatomy, and I'm not talking about his eyes either._

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, suddenly missing his kimono badly. It was in Kagome's bag. She had insisted that he should wear human clothes while on this trip. He still was doubtful, but he had compromised by making her put it in her bag. These damn bottoms were so _tight_. Kagome had called them something like…'jeans'?

"Whatever." The word didn't come out of his mouth lightly. Everyone around him could hear the hidden promise in it.

"Alright, Hojo, it's your turn!" Ayumi smiled brightly.

Hojo looked like he had just caught a glimpse of the Underworld. He shakily cleared his throat and looked at Ayumi.

"Oh, okay. Um…Yuka," He was too frightened to even try to talk to Kagome, "Truth or Dare?"

Yuka pursed her lips, posing a thoughtful expression.

"Dare!" She grinned.

Inuyasha refused to let go of Kagome's hand for the rest of the next hour. Every time she tried to lift it to her face to brush back a strand of hair or something, he would grip onto it, refusing to let go. So, Kagome finally just leaned against his shoulder casually, trying to enjoy this rare event.

It wasn't easy to relax when Inuyasha was sitting here, holding onto her hand while her friends played a game she loathed. This trip was giving her a headache, and yet she had only been on the bus for close to two hours.


	6. Chapter Six

**~ Chapter Six ~**

Inuyasha stared even at the bus' ceiling. The girls were at the front talking to the driver about stopping to eat, whatever that meant. He had to admit, he was getting hungry.

Kagome had fallen asleep in the last ten minutes, and her head was against his shoulder. She mumbled a few times, but other than that, she slept quite soundly. He leaned his head to the side and buried his face in her hair. Nobody was watching, and she wouldn't know unless she woke up. He breathed in her sweet scent, smiling as her hair tickled his face.

That idiot from earlier, 'Hojo', kept pushing his luck. He wouldn't stop looking over at Kagome every few minutes. Inuyasha grunted.

_She's mine, you damn fool. But nevertheless, I am still willing to take you on if you want to challenge me._

As if on cue, the boy turned to look over his shoulder. His brown eyes widened as Inuyasha pulled her closer, to where her head was laying against his chest. He wrapped his arm around her, feeling smug at the look on Hojo's face.

Inuyasha sighed. She was starting to slump, and the position was awkward. He leaned down and lifted her legs. By moving her gently over, she leaned against his arm while on his lap. He cradled her tenderly, being careful not to wake her.

_Serves the idiot right_, he concluded after a moment of thinking about that stupid human, _He should know that she is mine since I came with her. Even if she is unaware of it, I'm not going to let some wimpy male try to claim her as his own._

Without realizing it, his territorial instincts were controlling his thoughts. He found himself staring at her face intensely, thinking about what he was going to do if any males tried to touch her while on this trip. His ideas were creative, but Sesshoumaru himself would scoff at their mild state. Of course, he couldn't _really_ hurt anyone without making Kagome upset, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

A sigh breathed through her lips and she smiled wistfully. His heart sped up at the sound. He wanted to make her smile like that all the time, even if it meant fighting off thousands of opposing idiots like that stupid Hojo. Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned down, brushing his lips over her forehead.

When he looked up he was stunned to see her three friends staring at him with awe and adoration in their expressions. How the hell had they just popped up in front of him!? He should have heard their approach…

"Aw! That is so sweet…" Eri sighed.

"Maybe he isn't a punk…" Ayumi whispered to Yuka.

Yuka smiled smugly at him.

"Yes, he does treat her protectively, but he also seems to have a sweet side."

Inuyasha huffed and glowered at her, his embarrassment slowly being replaced by irritation.

Yuka looked at the other two and whispered something to them. Ayumi giggled something back and then ran to the front of the bus. Eri winked at him and followed the other girl.

_Ugh, how can Kagome stand these females?_

Yuka sat down on the seat in front of him. Her expression quickly turned serious.

"So, have you been thinking over what I said to you?"

He grunted and a slight blush stained his cheeks. Inuyasha focused on staring at Kagome's hand, which was resting cutely against her cheek.

"Yeah, I have."

"And?"

"Well, I'm still not sure about what you said…but…"

"You've taken it into consideration?"

Inuyasha sighed. These damn females were giving him a headache. They were so demanding and…at least it was easier to say yes to Kagome's requests.

"One question."

Yuka raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over the back of the seat.

"When will be the right time?"

The girl smiled and shrugged, "You'll know when. They'll be a sign."

"You sound like a monk or priestess." He snorted.

"Well, I'm being serious. I wasn't lying; you should hear the way she talks about you."

His amber pupils focused on her relaxed and dreaming features. She smiled in her sleep, snuggling closer into his arm.

"Does she like this 'Hojo' guy?" He glanced at the subject in question.

"She has never shown any signs…and on top of that, you are her boyfriend, not him."

Inuyasha blinked and flexed his jaw. Why did these girls say the word 'boyfriend' with such conviction? It was like it was a special title or something.

"Yuka, tell me, what exactly _is_ a boyfriend?"

Her mouth fell open slightly. He couldn't understand why she looked so shocked.

"A boyfriend is the step below a fiancée. Basically, you and Kagome are dating and are in a relationship."

Inuyasha furrowed his brow, "What sort of relationship?"

Yuka sighed, "Y'know, like you kiss and hold hands and have feelings for each other. It's a special bond that no one else has with her."

His eyes widened with reality. The half-demon looked back down at the sleeping girl in his arms. So, that was what it meant to be a 'boyfriend'? Why hadn't she told him that that was what her friends thought of him? Was she embarrassed of him?

_The girl said that Kagome has feelings for me, though. If she does, then I can admit the way I feel about her by the end of the trip. But first, I need to be certain for myself that she returns the way I feel._

So, Yuka's challenge on the phone was going to begin soon. If he failed, Kagome was going to end up with that Hojo idiot; that was what the Yuka-girl said at least. This would be difficult, but he had never backed down from a challenge before.

Kagome was his, and he wasn't about to lose her to anyone.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Hey~ I just wanted to point out something that came to me a little bit ago. Yes, I found a glitch that I forgot to stick in there. In case some of you are wondering, "Wait, did Kagome and Inuyasha even tell the others in the Feudal Era where they were going?" Yes, dear readers, they did. I forgot to put it in there, but Inuyasha went back while she was sleeping and informed Miroku of where they would be. Some of you are probably smiling and thinking, "Oh, well, I didn't even think of that." Well, for those who did, there you go ;) **

**Thanks again for the reviews! They are food to my keyboard!**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

** ~ Chapter Seven ~**

A soft brushing sensation tickled Kagome's cheek. It felt gentle, but it sent electricity sparking through her skin. She slowly opened one eye. Her gaze was met by smoldering, golden eyes. She felt her heart skip a beat as she opened her other eye.

A smile threatened to tug on Inuyasha's lips as he watched her wake up. She stared up at him, a look in her eyes that he didn't understand. She yawned and blinked the sleepy cloudiness from her eyes.

"Inuyasha…" She breathed, not looking away from his face.

She reached up and touched his nose, making sure that she, indeed, was awake and not still dreaming. It slowly dawned on Kagome that the soft brushing sensation had been his hand.

"You're awake. That's good. The giant demon machine has stopped and your friends got out."

Kagome's chocolate eyes widened. She jerked herself up in an awkward position, holding onto his black jacket for balance.

"Where are they?"

"They are in that huge hut, getting food. I told them that we would go in soon."

Kagome peered out the window. They had stopped at a Burger Restaurant. She sighed and turned her face to look at Inuyasha. He was staring at her intently, the amber in his eyes like warm liquid. She bit her lip, trying to think clearly. She suddenly realized that she was in his lap.

The young priestess swallowed and blushed, trying to pull herself up. Inuyasha furrowed his brow in confusion, trying to understand why she was suddenly trying to get up so quickly.

Kagome moved her leg over and used her other hand, which was gripping onto his jacket, to steady her movements. She pressed down on the floor with her foot, trying to bring the other one over. Instead it caught on Inuyasha's boot and as she stood, she fell face-forward.

"Kagome!" He flew forward and grabbed her.

She stuttered and pulled away, grabbing a near-by seat for support. Why was she getting so flustered? After all, he had held her lots of times in the Feudal Era. Could it have been because her friends were with them?

Kagome breathed in a shaky breath, stumbling toward the doors. Inuyasha walked after her, his arms across his chest with an eyebrow raised. He stared at her thoughtfully as she gripped onto the silver stick thing, stepping off the giant demon machine.

Kagome let go of the railing, breathing in deep breaths of the fresh air. It blew her hair back and tickled her skin, helping to clear her mind. She straightened her shoulders and walked toward the restaurant.

Upon entering the huge hut, Inuyasha protectively grabbed Kagome's hand. She looked uncomfortable as he did this, which was a mystery to him because she had grabbed his hand so many times, and lead the way to the table with her friends. He narrowed his golden eyes as he caught sight of that 'Hojo'.

"Hey, love birds! You finally came in!"

"I'm so sorry for falling asleep like that! I'm supposed to be spending time with you on this trip."

Ayumi smiled, "It's alright! Besides, you got to spend some time with Mr. Overprotective."

All three of the girls giggled at the secret joke. A boy with messy blond hair and bright blue eyes offered his hand to Kagome.

"Hey! I'm Katsuo."

Kagome smiled back at him and shook his hand.

_He doesn't look at all like Ayumi! Is he really her brother?_

"I'm Kagome."

"So I've heard. It's good to be able to place the voice with a face."

_Oh, yeah! I totally forgot that he's been driving the bus._

Inuyasha grunted. Eri scooted over, making room for the two of them. Kagome sat down, picking up the menu. Inuyasha sniffed it curiously, stopping to glare at Hojo when he looked over at them.

"So, Katsuo, are you a fan of the _Black Blossoms_?"

Katsuo smiled and shook his head, leaning back against the cushioned seat.

"Actually, I just was bored. I didn't have anything to do this summer except sit around. Ayumi told me that she needed someone to drive her and her friends around for a trip."

Ayumi snickered, "Don't assume it was from the kindness of his heart. Kat doesn't do anything unless he benefits in some way."

The boy laughed and shrugged.

Inuyasha leaned back against the seat, his golden eyes fixed on Kagome. Yuka looked at him. Kagome wasn't quite sure, but she could have sworn that Yuka gave him a certain look.

"Hey, Inuyasha, right? You are Kagome's boyfriend, aren't you?" Katsuo smiled.

Inuyasha shrugged, his eyes not leaving her face. Kagome felt blood seep into her cheeks. Why was he acting like this?

"I heard a lot about you from Ayumi and her friends. So, you are from over-seas? That's wicked awesome."

The half-demon's amber pupils flickered to the blond boy. He raised an eyebrow.

"Wicked? Why is that evil?"

Kagome cleared her throat, "Inuyasha is a…erm…half-blood. So, he knows Japanese, but he isn't from around here."

Katsuo's eyes widened.

"You're half-Japanese, huh? Wow…"

_Well, I didn't specify on what __**sort**__ of half-blood he was, but I was at least to a degree truthful._

Hojo leaned forward in his seat.

"Yes, that _is_ interesting. What exactly are you doing here, anyway?"

Inuyasha flexed his jaw and leaned forward, "I'm here for Kagome."

"Aw! That is so sweet! So you come to Japan just to see her?"

"I wish I had a boyfriend like that…" Eri sighed.

Hojo narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips, "Yes, indeed. So, you actually care about her?"

Inuyasha fell silent as everyone's eyes went from Hojo to him. He swallowed.

"_Now, Inuyasha, you must know something. Hojo is coming on the trip. He is a boy at our school that really likes Kagome. In many ways, he would be better for her than you, judging from what I've heard._

_If you really love Kagome, you are going to have to prove it to everyone by the end of the trip, especially Hojo. If we don't see you fit for her, then we are going to help and support Hojo in his attempts to win her heart. But, if you can prove to him and us that you are the right guy for Kagome, then Hojo will not get her and Kagome will be yours. _

_Erm…now, at the end of the trip, I will give you the plans to win her heart if I still support you. Until then, you need to do everything in your power to beat Hojo for Kagome's love. Got it?"_

Inuyasha cleared his throat, "I'm here for Kagome, so just shut up."

Hojo straightened his shoulders, "I'd rather die then back off."

"That can be arranged." Inuyasha's knuckles popped and his claws glinted.

"Oh, boys, boys, boys! Just calm down and order your food." Yuka sighed, glancing at Inuyasha.

Kagome looked up as the waitress approached. She smiled cutely and tilted her head at the group.

"Do you know what you want?"

"His head roasted on a platter, please." The half-demon grinned.


	8. Chapter Eight

**T.T I wasn't very happy with the way this chapter turned out, and I was tired. Please don't hold it against me if you don't like it. Meh...well...tell me what you think. *sigh* Here is Chapter Eight, my dear readers.**

**~ Chapter Eight ~**

The waitress blinked a few times, a sweat drop on her head. She bit her lip and then laughed nervously.

"Oh, you are so silly!"

Kagome laughed nervously as well, though for a different reason.

The waitress brought their drinks with a smile, despite Inuyasha's odd request. Kagome sipped from her lemonade, thinking about how she was going to handle the half-demon's mouth. Katsuo kept looking at Inuyasha, his eyes filled with some hidden motive.

Kagome sighed and listened to her friends, smiling and replying short sentences every few minutes.

"So, Inuyasha, tell me more about where you came from."

Kagome's pulse quickened. She shot a worried glance at Inuyasha, who looked completely bored.

"Uh, actually, Inuyasha doesn't like talking about that stuff."

"Why don't you let him talk for himself?" Katsuo replied with a dark tone.

Kagome tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, anxiety in her stomach. A snarl ripped from Inuyasha's throat.

"Don't talk to Kagome like that. If you want to talk with me, you better be a lot nicer to her."

_Inuyasha…_

"I'm sorry; it's just that I'm so curious."

Yuka's eyes jumped from the boyfriend to Katsuo to Kagome. She grunted and stood up.

"Kagome, I need to use the bathroom. I need your help with something. Will you please come with me?"

The young priestess blinked and nodded timidly. Inuyasha stood up and let her get out of the seat, his eyes following her every step. When she was no longer in sight, he looked back at the blond boy.

"What is your problem, rag-head?"

* * *

Kagome followed Yuka into the bathroom, a bit confused. When the door closed, Yuka turned around to look at her, a serious expression on her face.

"Kagome, I want to know something from you."

The young girl swallowed, "What is it?"

"Are you serious about Inuyasha?"

A blush stained Kagome's cheeks.

"W-What do you mean?"

Yuka sighed, turning back around to look in the mirror. She pulled some lipstick from her bag and began applying it.

"Look, Kagome, I've seen the way you look at him, and the way he looks at you is so…ugh, I can't explain it."

Kagome gulped, leaning against the wall, "So, what is your point?"

"My point is that if you really like this guy, I want to know."

"I…uh…do."

Yuka stopped immediately, looking up. She stared at Kagome, her lips pursed.

"In that case, I have something to tell you."

* * *

"So, you're telling me that that sword you are holding is mystical and that you can kill hundreds with one swing?"

Inuyasha smirked, "Yup."

Everyone at the table just stared at him. Suddenly, Hojo burst into a fit of laughter. Katsuo raised an eyebrow.

"Can I see it?"

"Hell to the no. I'm not allowed to unsheathe it."

Katsuo barked a laugh, "Who says?"

"Kagome. It was one of the conditions on me coming with her."

"And you agreed? Man, you really are loyal to that girl."

Inuyasha huffed, "Well, she's mine. I'm not going to make her mad. If I did she would sit me."

"She would _what_ you!?"

Eri blinked, her mouth hanging open slightly. Ayumi gulped a mouthful of soda.

"Y'know, she would yell 'sit' and then I would hit the dirt."

They just stared at him. Katsuo opened his mouth but was interrupted.

"Hey, guys! We're back!" Yuka smiled, tugging Kagome along.

Inuyasha's head jerked up as Kagome's scent materialized in the air. He furrowed his brow. Her face was flushed and was staring at her feet. Inuyasha stood up out of the seat.

"Don't worry about that, Inuyasha. We're ready to go. Are you guys?"

Eri, Ayumi, the now sober Hojo, and Katsuo nodded slowly. The waitress walked up.

"Are you guys ready for the tab?"

"Yes, please."

Inuyasha wrapped an arm around Kagome's waist as Yuka and the others walked toward the counter. She looked like she needed the help for steadying herself.

"Kagome, are you alright?"

"Uh…yeah. I just…I'm just a little…never mind."

The half-demon grunted, lifting her slightly off the floor so that he was supporting all of her weight.

"Do you need any of your medicine stuff?"

"No…hey, Inuyasha?"

"Yeah, what?"

Kagome looked up to look into his eyes. Her expression was completely serious.

"Don't tell them anything about the Feudal Era, or anything about yourself for that matter."

Inuyasha swallowed.

_Oops…_


	9. Chapter Nine

**Hello, again, everyone! I took a fan's advice and stuck it in this chapter. The idea's credit goes to Mari605i. Thanks for the suggestion! ^.^ It was the punching idea. I have also been itching to let Inuyasha's hand connect with that face, so let it be done! Anywhoo, things are going to start rolling (the 'snowball' effect XD). So, from here on a lot of crap is going to start happening. Keep reading and I'll keep updating! KEEP REVIEWING! I love the encouragement and ideas! *feeds to keyboard and personally chews on Pocky* Well, enjoy!**

**Whitewolfffy ~**

**

* * *

**

**~ Chapter Nine ~**

The bus started up with a roar. Katsuo returned to the driver's seat and the others returned to the back to finish their paused game. Yuka smiled broadly and viewed her group.

"Well, now, I do believe it was Eri's turn."

Eri smiled shyly, turning to look at Inuyasha.

"Oh, alright, Truth or Dare?"

Inuyasha blinked a few times, crossing his arms, "Dare I guess."

"I dare-"

Yuka leaned over and whispered in Eri's ear. Eri's eyes widened and she nodded when Yuka pulled back.

"Ok, Inuyasha. I dare you to do or say the first thing that comes to your mind. The _very_ first thing."

Kagome gasped and looked at him. He only rolled his shoulders.

"The very first thing?"

Eri nodded expectantly.

Inuyasha looked around, waiting for a thought to come to him. His eyes locked onto Hojo's, who was staring at him with a huff.

"Okay, then."

His hand tightened into a fist, his knuckles popping. With a jerk, the half-demon's fist contacted the flesh of Hojo's face, causing a crunching sound. Hojo cried out in pain and blood dribbled down his face from his nose.

"Omigosh! INUYASHA!" Kagome screeched.

"Hey, she said to do the very first thing that came to my mind."

"He's _bleeding_!"

Inuyasha wrinkled his nose, "And it smells awful. Seriously, what a wimp."

Kagome reached forward, touching Hojo's nose gently. He yelled out, the blood flowing freely.

"You dirty, stupid, damn _jerk_!" Hojo hollered.

Inuyasha only grinned in reply, "Thanks!"

"Don't you feel bad for breaking his nose?" Ayumi asked with wide eyes.

"Why should I? It actually felt good."

"Not for him it didn't!"

"I'm going to beat the crap out of you!" Hojo continued his ranting, choking out painful groans as the girls examined the injury.

"I'd like to see that."

"There will be no beating anyone up!"

"Too late…"

Kagome pressed her handkerchief to his nose, sighing and shooting a dirty look at Inuyasha.

"Why do your thoughts always have to be so terrible?"

"My thoughts are only honest, terrible occasionally visits on weekdays."

Yuka yelled up to the front, "Kat! Drive to the nearest hospital!"

* * *

As they sat in the chairs in the waiting room, Kagome found herself grumbling with her arms crossed. She starting to act like a certain someone she knew. The girls were in the other room with Hojo, cooing over him and helping hold ice against his face. Inuyasha sat next to her, grinning uncontrollably like he had just won the Noble Prize.

"Don't act so happy about it! That was horrible!"

"I'm sorry, I just can't help it. That crunching sound brought satisfaction to my every limb."

Kagome covered her ears, "Not listening!"

He raised an eyebrow and snorted, "Would you mind telling me why you are so worried about him?"

"Inuyasha, you freaking _broke_ his _nose_! That isn't exactly something I can shrug off!"

He huffed.

"You never make this big of a deal when I'm injured."

"He is a _human_! You are a half-demon, meaning that I don't have to worry about you near as much because you heal fast!"

"Maybe I _want_ you to worry about me!"

Kagome's next remark was stopped dead in her throat. She stared at him, shock frozen on her features. She clenched her dress' him in her hands.

"Y-you w-want what?"

Inuyasha seemed just as surprised at himself, if not more so. He cleared his throat and jerked his eyes to the wall, clenching his jaw.

"Never mind."

Kagome ground her teeth, her irritation returning.

"Inuyasha, if you are going to say something, you better freaking finish it! **What did you say**?"

He cringed at the tone in her voice and grumbled under his breath.

"I said that…basically…I wish you would worry about me like you do that stupid Hojo. It isn't right that you baby him so much."

The young priestess flushed, "I do not baby him!"

"Yes, you do."

"I do not!"

"Do, too."

"Do _not_!"

Inuyasha turned to glare at her, his golden eyes smoldering.

"You seriously need to make up your mind on who you want to hang out with – me or him."

Kagome's eyes blazed, "You're one to talk. How about you make up your mind in the Feudal Era?"

He only stared at her in confusion for a moment before sudden understanding lit his eyes. He swallowed and looked away, realizing he had been caught.

"Like I said, never mind."


	10. Chapter Ten

**~ Chapter Ten ~**

They sat in the chairs for a little while, arguing and huffing. Finally they were interrupted as the girls walked out into the waiting area.

"Hey, Inuyasha, Hojo wants to talk to you."

Kagome shook her head fervently, "NO!"

"What? You don't trust me? Don't worry; I won't hurt your little pet."

"If anyone's a pet, you are my lapdog." Kagome mumbled.

Inuyasha snorted and walked to the back and into the room. His snowy hair fell around his face, framing the amber in his eyes. Hojo grunted as he stared at him.

_No wonder Kagome likes him. He could be a freaking supermodel._

Inuyasha just stared at him, his eyes narrowed.

"So, what the hell do you want?"

"I…erm…wanted to talk to you about…Kagome."

A smirk pulled at the corner of the half-demon's mouth. Truly, this human had guts to still want to go after her.

"Yeah, what about her?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I have no intentions on backing off, yet. You need to realize that I am a smarter choice for Kagome, not you. You're…you're a bad influence."

"Oh, really? Can you protect her? Because if there was anyone being beat up back there it was your wimpy ass."

Hojo flinched at the harsh words. He swallowed and continued.

"Anyway, I'm just saying that you shouldn't get a big head. I'm going to still fight for her this whole trip."

"Then let the games begin." Inuyasha beamed.

Hojo's eyes took on a determined hue, "May the best man win."

"What? You mean there will be competition? Because as far as I can tell, there is only one man in here."

Hojo grunted and glowered at the attractive hanyou.

"There is something up with you. I'm going to find out what it is."

"Suit yourself, but don't go crying to _my_ woman when I beat your scrawny butt."

Without letting the boy continue, Inuyasha turned around and left the room. He had said his piece, and that was all that mattered to him. If that baka wanted to start anything, he was going to get his head shoved into the dirt forcefully.

"Is he ready to go?" Ayumi bit her lip in concern.

"Oh yeah, he's just chipper. Next time I'll aim at his head."

Kagome stuck out her tongue at him. She hopped up when Hojo came out, looking like a brave soldier as he walked with a resolute expression.

"Are you ready to go, Hojo?"

"Yes, I'm ready." As he said it, his eyes locked on the half-demon.

_Think again, butt-wipe._


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Hey, my lovelies. I'm sorry this chapter is so short. I wanted to write a little thing that belonged to Kagome since Inuyasha got his own chapter. I really want to get the readers to understand her insecurities about Inuyasha, but that she still loves him no matter what. I hate when people write stories where Kagome's 'too nice for her own good' kindness isn't present and she acts snobby about Kikyo. Please understand that Kagome may be hurt by Kikyo's attitude, but the fact that she refuses to hurt anyone is what makes them different. ^.^ OH! **

**Announcement! I am starting an Inuyasha/Ouran High School Host Club crossover. If you aren't interested, I'm not offended. But I figured that some of you would be interested. XD Sorry, please enjoy!**

* * *

~ **Chapter Eleven ~**

Kagome sighed, slumping down into the seat. She stared out the window. It had gotten dark out, and now it was around nine. So much had happened, and yet it had only been the first day. How could so much happen in her world, when the gang practically were sitting around and bored in the Feudal Era? On top of that, Inuyasha didn't know the meaning of 'keep your hands to yourself'.

Her pulse immediately quickened at the thought of him. She still couldn't understand how she could fall for someone for arrogant, so hot-headed, so _infuriating_. It just didn't make sense. He was her complete opposite. Inuyasha's social interest seemed to be related around killing things, or things that were already dead.

_Kikyo._

Kagome turned to look at Inuyasha. She was surprised to see him slumped over slightly, his eyes closed and his breathing even. The surprise wore off quickly; after all, he had had the longest day out of all of them. The young priestess stared at him, her eyes full of concern.

_What are you dreaming about, Inuyasha? Are you dreaming about…her?_

His adorable, soft white ear twitched. He looked uncomfortable, and she understood why. The position looked painful, even comparing it to the floor. She gently reached up and pulled his shoulders down until he was on his side. She laid his soft head on her lap, astounded that he hadn't woken up from the movement.

Inuyasha nestled his head against her leg, the tension in his face fading quickly from the new and soft object.

_Inuyasha, I'm sorry for dragging you on this trip. I'm so selfish…_

She sighed and looked back up, gazing out the window. The trees flew by in a blur, only illuminated by the headlights on the bus. Kagome's eyes fluttered and she found herself getting sleepy fast. Nevertheless, her thoughts wondered.

Inuyasha loved Kikyo, didn't he? Of course he did! After all, he never hesitated to go running after her when her name was mentioned in a conversation. On more than one occasion she had seen the way he looked at Kikyo. It was like a gardener with their precious flower. He loved her, and was afraid that at any moment she would wither away. Just like a precious flower.

Still, even though she had come to terms with the fact that he loved Kikyo, she still had that nagging desire in her heart to be his one and only. Kagome wanted to be the one he not only protected, but preferred and loved. _She_ wanted to be that flower.

_A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet…_ _Inuyasha, I will still love you. I'll wait, and I won't give up hope. I may be a glutton for pain by seeing you with her, but I will still wait for you. Because isn't that what love is? It is patience._

Kagome sighed once more and rested her chin on her palm, closing her eyes. As her thoughts started slowing down, the outside world around her began to fade away. Pretty soon the sound of Inuyasha's breathing was the only thing she could focus on.

Consciousness faded away, like a butterfly taking flight.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Erm...alright. Well, I want to bring up some stuff to you people! Ok, first of all, some of you are suspicious about Yuka. I just want to assure you without ruining anything that Yuka is actually Team Inuyasha! Yes, indeed, she supports him and wants to see him win Kagome. But, that is only because she has witnessed the way Kagome feels about him. Like a good best friend, she wants what is best for her friend. She just wants Inuyasha to not know that she supports him because she wants him to take the whole thing seriously and do his best. So, never fear, Yuka is a good girl! She is just such a spicy and mischievious character ^.^ I love writing about her, personally. Btw, Katsuo is AYUMI'S brother XD not Yuka's.**

**I want to thank all of you for your support so far - again - and to let you all know that I appreciate your reviews. This chapter is unexpected, so be ready for a surprise ^.^**

**Whitewolfffy ~**

**

* * *

**

~ Chapter Twelve ~

Kagome woke with a jolt. The first thing she noticed was the absence of Inuyasha's warmth. She couldn't feel his head on her lap anymore, and with it went her sense of comfort. Kagome looked around, unnecessary concern filling her chest.

Much to her relief she spotted him at the front talking to Yuka and Katsuo. He seemed surprisingly in a good mood. The moment she breathed out, his head jerked in her direction. He met her eyes and something in them softened.

"You're awake!" Eri smiled in a sing-song voice.

"Finally!"

Kagome stood up shakily and walked down the aisle. She returned the smile to Eri and looked at Katsuo.

"Where are we?"

"Well, after over fourteen hours of non-stop driving, we are approaching Nagoya."

Kagome's eyes widened, "Didn't you sleep at all?"

He paused and then grimaced, "I…uh…couldn't sleep."

Kagome saw Inuyasha grunt from the corner of her eye. She looked down at him and smiled. His hair was messy and his eyes bright. He had never looked more adorable.

"Inuyasha?"

"Mm?"

"Come back to the back seat for a minute with me."

He sighed but stood up, crossing his arms again and following her. She patted on the seat with her free hand, the other one digging in her bag. He sat down and watched as she pulled a thingy out, something he had seen her use on her hair.

"Alright, I'm going to brush your hair. It won't hurt. I'll be gentle, I promise."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest, but was interrupted as she started running it through his snowy-white hair.

"OW! Damn it, woman! That _hurts_!"

"Oh, stop your whining! You can take a hole through your gut and yet you complain over a hairbrush!"

The half-demon let out a yelp, "A hair-what? Ouch! Jeez, you said it wouldn't hurt!"

"I told a little white lie so I could brush your tangled white hair. Sue me."

Inuyasha snorted, gritting his teeth as she tugged through the tangles and knots. The girls watched with interest, surprised that he wasn't used to having his hair brushed. Hojo looked secretly delighted and smug while watching the young hanyou yell.

When she was done, Kagome pulled back to view her handy-work. He turned around to look at her with wide golden eyes, his hair shining and soft. She felt her heart skip. That was the face she had grown to crave seeing every day.

The half-demon pushed out his bottom lip in a pout, "Are you done torturing me yet?"

_If spending time with him is torture, chain me to the wall._

"Yup!" She grinned.

Inuyasha pulled himself up, a sigh escaping his lips. She looked at the girls.

"Ayumi, what is for breakfast?"

"We are going to pick something up in Nagoya." Katsuo shouted from the driver's seat.

"Can we have more ninja food?"

Kagome laughed, her eyes sparkling. Today might be a better day after all.

"Yes, Inuyasha, we will eat some more ninja food."

He raised an eyebrow.

_What's up with her? She looks so…happy._

Inuyasha shot a look at the idiot, Hojo, who had his nose wrapped up tightly. Inuyasha smirked. Every time he looked at that bandage he felt a twisted sort of pleasure.

"Kagome, thanks for your generosity!"

The young girl stopped with confusion in her expression.

"What did I do?"

Yuka gave her a look that had mischievous written all over it.

"Oh, it's what you are _about_ to do."

She glanced out the window at a hotel as they passed it. She sighed.

"Kagome is paying for breakfast? Thank you, Kagome!"

Kagome narrowed her eyes. Then again, maybe today _wouldn't_ be any better.

Before she could respond, the bus lurched to the side, causing everyone to lose their balance. Inuyasha grabbed onto Kagome before she flew across the seats. The bus didn't stop there, though. Screams echoed throughout the vehicle as the bus not only picked up uncontrollable speed, but flew off the side of the road.

Kagome screamed, clutching onto Inuyasha for dear life as the bus sped through the forest's trees. She didn't know how far they got, but she could hear the screams and hollering of her friends and the slapping of branches hitting the bus. When the bus finally came to a halt, it rammed right into the trunk of a tree and sent everyone flying to the front.

She heard the familiar cry of Hojo. His face was smashed against the front window – ouch.

"Is everyone okay!?" She exclaimed, pulling herself up.

She cupped Inuyasha's face between her small hands, staring at his face intently.

"Are you alright?"

"Uhn, speak for yourself. Are _you_ alright?"

Kagome nodded, choking out a sob. She looked towards the front. Ayumi was holding her brother's head, trying to wake his unconscious body. Inuyasha winced, pulling himself up from under his priestess.

"He is alive, I can hear his heart." The half-demon whispered to Kagome.

She smiled, glad that he had remembered to keep quiet about his abilities from her friends. Though at a time like this, she didn't have the will to care about whether he did or not.

"Good!"

Kagome lifted herself onto her feet, grabbing onto the seats for balance as she staggered to the front. Half-way there, pain ripped up her leg and she fell onto her knees, a cry of pain coming from her throat. Inuyasha was at her side in a blur.

"Kagome!? What is wrong?"

"My…mmf…leg. It _hurts_."

He lifted her up and onto a seat, holding her leg gently in his hands so he could examine it. Sure enough, there was a gash with blood flowing down her leg from it. Inuyasha pursed his lips, turning to look at Yuka, who was stopping to check on everyone.

"Yuka, Kagome is hurt!"

The girl rushed over, worry clear on her face.

"Oh no! Erm…we need to get that bandaged. Eri, you stay here with Ayumi, Hojo, and Kat. I'm going to go with Inuyasha to the highway to that hotel. We'll be back!"

Inuyasha lifted Kagome into his arms, bridal style. She intertwined her arms around his neck, biting her tongue to hold back the cry that her body wanted to let out.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**~ Chapter Thirteen ~**

Inuyasha trudged up the hill, in a hurry because of the blood dripping down his hands from Kagome's leg, and annoyed because he had to walk slow so Yuka could keep up. He had been about to tell her to catch up to him later and run ahead, but then he remembered Kagome's warning about not letting them know what he was. That made him get all the more irritated, though, but he wasn't about to rant when Kagome was in pain and bleeding.

"Hurry your ass, Yuka!"

The girl narrowed her eyes and huffed, picking up speed.

"I'm trying, okay!? I don't like seeing her in pain, either."

"You could've fooled me with the way you are dragging your damn feet."

Yuka bit her lip, examining his face. He was furious, that was obvious. But she could tell that he could be making a bigger scene if he wanted to; he was probably holding it back for Kagome's sake. This was another check mark on her list of positive things about Inuyasha. He put Kagome before himself.

As they reached the highway, Inuyasha ran across the street, his eyes locked on the hotel. Yuka tucked her chin against her chest, trying to run fast enough to keep up with him. But, darn, he was fast!

_It must be all the adrenaline._

They burst through the door, Inuyasha yelling at the top of his lungs.

"I have an injured girl here; bring some damn medicine!"

Well, he got to the point quickly. Yuka couldn't seem to decide whether this obnoxious behavior was a good thing or not. She settled for waiting till later to think on it.

"Oh my! I'll go get the First Aid bag!"

Yuka watched silently as the man behind the counter took off into a run to another room.

Inuyasha gazed down at the frail girl in his arms. She had passed out, most likely from the blood loss or maybe stress. Whatever it was, he was really pissed now. Not at her, but himself. If he had protected her better, she wouldn't have gotten hurt. He growled, causing Yuka to look at him.

It was a good thing he hadn't worn the hat in the bus, or it would have come off. Kagome had switched the hat with a bandana the day before. Of course, he looked odd. But like she said, he always did.

The man ran back into the room with the bag-thingy. He gestured at Inuyasha to follow him. As they followed briskly, Inuyasha swearing every cuss word he knew, the man led them into a small room. Kagome had once called this sort of area a 'bathroom'. The man turned a knobby-thing and water squirted out in a thick stream.

Inuyasha sat on the floor, being as gentle as he could. The man started to take Kagome from him, but was met with a snarl from the half-demon. He instead sat on the floor in front of him and started cleaning the wound with a clean wet rag.

After the wound was cleaned and an ointment was applied, the man wiped his forehead with his sleeve. He carefully wrapped up her leg with white bandages.

"Well, that should do it."

Inuyasha pulled her tight against his chest, leaning his head down to sniff her leg curiously. He seemed satisfied, so he pulled back and eyed the man.

"What happened?" The man questioned, pulling himself up.

Yuka crossed her arms, "Our van crashed into a tree."

"That is awful! Do you have anywhere to stay?"

"No, we don't right now. There are seven of us, and our van isn't too badly hurt, but it needs to be worked on."

The man sighed, scratching his head. He furrowed his brow.

"Well, I can call my buddy who lives a few miles away. He would be willing to work on it over night for a bit of yen…"

Yuka tucked some hair behind her ear, nodding, "That sounds good. We'll stay here over-night."

The half-demon stood up, ignoring them. He walked out of the room and over to the counter. The man came out, running over to the counter.

"Okay, I'm going to go back to the van. Get three rooms for all of us."

"Three rooms?"

"Yeah, one for you and Kagome, one for me, Eri, and Ayumi, and one for Kat and Hojo."

Inuyasha was about to ask more, but Yuka ran out the door. He sighed and turned to the man behind the counter.

"Give me-" He suddenly remembered that Kagome would be ordering him to use manners right then, "_Please_ give me three rooms."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**~ Chapter Fourteen ~**

Once Inuyasha had been led to the room that he and Kagome would share, he closed the door and walked to the bedroom. He turned on the lamp, like he had seen her do so many times in her own house, and laid her down on the bed. She didn't even move in the slightest.

He stared at her, concern in his expression. Inuyasha leaned forward and pressed a hand to her forehead. She wasn't running a fever, and the man had given her some sort of pain medication. He sighed and brushed her hair out of her face, gazing at her. She looked so vulnerable.

Kagome slowly opened her eyes, feeling someone's hand softly brush her forehead. She groaned and looked at the person's face. She felt her heart start to pound as she met Inuyasha's amber eyes. Kagome bolted upward, her hands contacting his face. Inuyasha let out a yelp as he hit the floor.

"What the heck are you doing!?"

"Ouch! Jeez, Kagome, I was just checking your forehead for a fever!"

She stared at him, the surprise clear on her features, "You were…"

He stood up, brushing off his jeans. He met her eyes, clearly irritated.

"Yeah, it was what my mother used to do."

Kagome felt a lump in her throat. She swallowed it back, smiling at him.

"Thanks, Inuyasha."

She glanced down at her leg, feeling stunned that there was no pain throbbing from it. It was bandaged, and she couldn't seem to move it easily. It felt heavy and she realized she had been drugged with pain killer.

"Inuyasha, where is everyone else?"

"Oh, Yuka ran back to the bus to fetch the others. Someone is going to work on the bus and we are going to sleep here tonight."

Kagome nodded, feeling relief rush through her. She didn't feel the best, but she definitely felt safe with Inuyasha in the same room.

"So, we are sleeping in here?"

"Yup."

"What about the others?"

Inuyasha paused, and from his expression it seemed that something just dawned on him.

"They…erm…have their own rooms."

"And we are staying in here together?"

"Yes."

"Alone?"

"Yes." He cleared his throat, as if the knowledge made him tense somehow. This didn't make sense to her considering that they had slept in the same room many times before.

"Wow, you are slow. I always thought you were dense, but you really are super slow to catch on."

Inuyasha huffed, crossing his arms and walking out of the room. She normally would have followed, but the situation kept her from doing so.

"Inuyasha? Where are you going?"

"I'm getting a glass of water for you."

She blinked, surprised again. She sighed and leaned against the pillows, trying to compose herself and ignore the way her leg felt like lead.

The half-demon grabbed a plastic cup from beside the complimentary 'microwave'. At least, that was what Kagome had called it. He lifted the knobby-thingy and fresh water streamed into the cup.

Her face had been right there, right under his fingers. He remembered the way her skin felt when he touched it, so soft and delicate. And her chocolate brown eyes, wide and innocent, always affected him.

Inuyasha still didn't understand it. How could one of the world's puniest humans make him feel so…weak? When he was around her, she was all he could think about. Her scent, her face, her voice, her body…she was _everything_ to him. But why? Why Kagome of all people? Why was it that someone like Kagome could make him feel more human when he was in half-demon form than when he was actually _in_ human form?

_I can't imagine my life without her. Kagome __**is**__ my world now._

He sighed and walked back to the bedroom, handing her the cup. She shot him a bright smile in return. The young girl sipped from it timidly, her eyes on his face. When she was done he took it from her.

"Do you want to watch TV?" She asked, cutely closing her eyes with a smile.

He shrugged, "I guess."

She watched as he picked the remote up and handed it to her. He crawled onto the bed and lay beside her, propping his head up against pillows.

"Do you know when they will be back?"

"Nope, but I hope they bring some damn food."

Kagome shot him a dirty look.

"We were just in a freaking bus crash! You act like nothing happened."

"To them," he growled, "You were the one that got hurt, though. And you're the only one I care about."

As she examined his face, her pulse raced. He met her eyes, looking completely serious. They stared at each other, her heart pounding in her chest.

"B-but I'm f-fine now."

Inuyasha didn't respond, but instead lifted his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Kagome felt her cheeks heat up. When his fingers brushed her face, it felt like static tickling her skin. She held her breath.

"Uh…thank you…for helping me."

The half-demon nodded, the gold in his eyes softening. Her heart was pounding so loud now that she was sure he would be able to hear it. Her blood pulsed in her ears. The silence dragged on, and neither seemed to be able to break it. Finally she leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek.

Kagome squeaked and pulled back, a static charge shocking her lips from his skin. His eyes widened, whether from the kiss on the cheek or the static she wasn't sure. All she knew was that the butterflies in her stomach weren't calming down. She couldn't get off the bed because of her leg, and he didn't seem to be ready to move a muscle. So, she turned her flushed face away from his gaze and stared at the show on the TV's screen.

Inuyasha stared at her face, shock etched on his expression. She had…kissed his cheek. Of course, it wasn't like he had never had her lips against any part of his face before. The night at the Castle beyond the Looking Glass was proof of that. But still…it was so unexpected, and definitely sweet. He felt an electric charge every time she touched him, so he wasn't surprised at what had happened. He gulped and looked at the TV, too, also flushed.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Hiya, lovelies! Yush, I posted another chapter (feel free to glomp me if you so wish). Anywhoo, I just wanted to answer some things real quick. Erm, about Kagome. NO I DID NOT SAY KAGOME ACTED SNOBBY!! Go back and re-read what I wrote. I said that she was 'too nice for her own good'. *sigh* Damn it that people read stuff wrong. Matter-of-fact, I wish Kagome would just freaking punch Kikyo and yell, "WHORE!" in her face. But...erm...that's just my opinion ^.^ As you see, I don't make Kagome do those things in my stories. That is strictly because I can't stand people who make the characters do things that isn't in their personalities. DAMN YOU!!! Anyway (HAPPY THOUGHTS!!), I also wanted to say that yes, Mari, I did remember about Chapter Eight. I just didn't put it in there yet because keeping things from all of you is what keeps you reading! Mwahahaha! *cough cough* (I feelz eevviiilll)....anywhoo, I stuck a bit of what Yuka said in this Chapter. Aye, my lovelies, Yuka is going to be a freakin' main character in this story! I LOVE writing about her *manical laughter* She kinda reminds me of myself...erm...anyway, I might be slowing down on my posting in the next few days. BUT STAY WITH ME! (please?) XD**

**Whitewolfffy ~**

**

* * *

**

~ Chapter Fifteen ~

The light from the TV danced across the walls, since the blinds were shut. The hotel room was pretty dark, and Inuyasha found himself becoming bored rather quickly. When he was with Kagome he always found himself bored with everything else. Of course, after the peck on the cheek he hadn't dared look at her over the last half hour. Her body had stayed in the same position, motionless, and he guessed it had to do with her leg or the fact that she was watching the moving screen. Humans appeared to get engrossed in such things easily.

He resisted the almost over-powering urge to wrap his arm around her waist and pull her against his side. The air was so heady with her intoxicating strawberry scent that he felt as if he might grow dizzy from it. She was so close.

Thinking back to when they first met, him accusing her of being Kikyo, his feelings toward her _had_ changed drastically. At the time he would have killed her without blinking, probably even wearing a smirk while watching her blood spill. Now even thinking about anything hurting her made him territorial. He didn't like admitting it, but he despised that Inuyasha. That Inuyasha would have torn Kagome to pieces while laughing. How had he grown to care for her so strongly when he had started out hating her?

"_Love comes from the most unexpected places."_

He remembered her saying that to him at one time. Still, the word 'love' was such a strong thing. The last time he had even thought about another female that way he had been pinned to a tree for fifty years.

_Damn it! Why do I keep comparing Kagome to Kikyo? They are so freaking different! Matter-of-fact, I get mad at people who try to compare them. Ugh…_

The half-demon swallowed, mustering up the courage to look over at his travel-companion. Her normally chocolate-brown eyes were shut, her lips parted slightly in a restful expression. The girl's breathing was even, and she seemed to be mumbling something in her sleep. Inuyasha smiled to himself. He liked watching her sleep, even if it was the middle of the day.

In the back of his mind he wondered if Yuka had reached everyone and if the bus was taken care of. But he shoved the thoughts to the side, gazing at the young priestess.

He sighed and lifted her head off the back head-board, gently laying her down on the pillow. She looked so damn cute, her bangs falling around her pale face as she let out a quiet sigh. Inuyasha lay down beside her, gently pressing the power button on the remote and shutting off the lamp first. Her petite figure was warm and delicate to him, and he would rather get sliced through the middle before causing her pain in her leg by any sudden movements.

Inuyasha scooted closer to her body, snaking an arm around her waist. He watched anxiously, afraid she might wake and yell at him. Instead Kagome turned onto her side, snuggling her face into his neck. The boy felt blood stain his cheeks from the feel of her soft skin against his. He inhaled deeply, trying to enjoy the moment while he could. He couldn't seem to fall asleep. Not only that, but he couldn't bring himself to want to with her laying there in his arms (unconscious or not).

* * *

Yuka handed some crisp bills to the man in the uniform, worry wrinkling her forehead. She had just enough money to supply her throughout the tour, but she hadn't planned for extra expenses like a bus crash.

Hojo was a few feet away being looked over by the man behind the counter, who had mentioned that his name was Hido. Hojo whimpered as Hido looked over his bloody nose. On top of it being broken, it had been further damaged by the bus' window. Poor Hojo.

Katsuo was still unconscious, and Ayumi held his head in her lap on the staircase. The girl stared nervously at her older brother's face, seemingly waiting for him to wake up. Eri was over by Hojo, patting him on the back and helping Hido re-bandage and set the injury.

Yuka couldn't seem to get a break from the stress of it all, and on top of that, Inuyasha hadn't come back down to let her know how Kagome was doing. But she wasn't about to stomp up there and slam the door open. No, she didn't want to upset Kagome, or worse, Inuyasha. So, she decided to leave them alone. She would wait to bother them till morning, which seemed appropriate for a best friend's rights. Besides, after seeing the way he was with her best friend, she believed she could trust him alone with her.

"Thank you, young missy." The man said, raising his hat to the girl and then leaving the building.

He had said the bus would be ready by morning, and she prayed to God – erm, Buda? – that her parents wouldn't find out. Yuka turned around and walked toward the stairs.

"Alright, guys. We won't head to our rooms till Kat wakes up. Once he does, he can head to his room with Hojo and us girls to ours."

"Where are Kagome and Inuyasha?" Eri blinked, looking up from a crying Hojo.

"They…erm…went to go rest. Kagome's leg was numb from the medicine, so Inuyasha is going to share a room with her tonight."

Hojo looked up at that. His dark-blue eyes widened and he pulled the bloody rag away from his smashed and disgruntled feature.

"They are…_sleeping_ together!?"

Yuka barked a laugh, "Don't be silly! With Kagome's leg in the state it is, they could barely-"

She stopped as everyone's eyes, including Hido's, settled on her face.

"…uh…what I mean, is that Kagome isn't feeling well. So, Inuyasha won't do anything to make her uncomfortable, I'm sure," She glanced at Hojo's infuriated expression, "He's a good guy, I promise." Yuka added quickly.

This didn't seem to make the boy any happier, though. He slowly lifted the rag back to his face, his blue eyes narrowed. Hojo seemed genuinely angry, which was a rare thing indeed.

_Well, after what I told Kagome, they should at least share a kiss tonight. After all, isn't encouraging a trait in the 'best friend' job?_

She smiled to herself, recalling her words to Kagome.

"_Kagome, you really like Inuyasha, right?"_

"_Erm…yes."_

"_Well, then you have to make a claim! Inuyasha is a hot guy, and while on this trip, a lot of girls are going to be asking for his number and stuff."_

_Kagome scoffed, her expression relaxed. For whatever reason, it seemed she had no worries about this._

"_Anyway, Kagome, Inuyasha is a guy. I realize he is from a foreign place, and he might be different, but a guy is a guy. If you want to keep him with you, you are going to have to stake a claim here and now. I'm not as dense as Eri and Ayumi. From the way you guys treat each other, it's not an open 'relationship'. You both act like it's some…some kind of secret love."_

_She watched as Kagome's eyes widened and she blushed. It was so obvious that Yuka had just hit the right button._

"_Anyway, I'll make you a deal. If you tell Inuyasha how you feel about him by the end of this trip, I'll give you all the notes you will ever want for the rest of middle school…and high school. Plus, I will tell Hojo to stop asking you out on dates."_

_Kagome seemed to be considering this strongly. Yuka felt confident. She had seemed to hit Inuyasha's right button on the phone, and now Kagome's button had been pressed. Inuyasha, being territorial as he was over Kagome, had agreed to the challenge at the mention of another guy winning her heart. And Kagome, seemingly not worried about him liking other girls, had sparked at the mention of school notes. Oh, yes, Yuka was clever._

The young girl sighed, leaning against the wall and feeling a bit smug. Kagome's insecurities about school notes had proved useful.

_If she doesn't agree because of the school notes, she will agree in the end because of my challenge to Inuyasha. Truly, match-making is a hard chore. Damn, I wish I could be a genie, too._


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**~ Chapter Sixteen ~**

Kagome became conscious slowly. She was vaguely aware that she wasn't alone, but her eyelids felt heavy. The young girl pried them open, her body feeling like lead and her head groggy. She figured it was from the pain that pulsed up her leg.

The first thing she saw was white. Not the sort of white that you would see when a bright light was shining on you, but a soft, almost _fluffy_ white. The color itself had a texture.

Kagome reached up to touch it. Her fingertips were met by a baby-soft material. When she stroked it, it twitched and moved. She furrowed her brow, blinking a few times and pulling back her face to see what it was. The 'material' was in fact an adorable and fluffy white dog-ear. It twitched at her touch and she felt a smile play on her lips.

Inuyasha was apparently still asleep, his face in a peaceful mask. Kagome snuggled closer, not desiring to try to leave the cozy and warm haven. She lifted her hand to his face, watching as the light framed the white of his hair. It made him look almost angelic.

The girl cupped his cheek in her palm, staring at his features. Her gazing was interrupted suddenly, though.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Kagome flushed three shades of red. She started to pull back her hand but was stopped as his came up to hold it at his face. She felt her heart-beat beat pound an unsteady rhythm as his smoldering gold eyes opened to meet her brown ones.

"Uh…I…"

"Good morning, Kagome."

She felt a shiver travel down her spine as he breathed her name. He uttered it in such a way, like it was a precious delicacy that was pleasurable to mention.

"Erm…good morning, Inuyasha."

Kagome had to avert her eyes to try to think straight. She failed miserably, looking back at his face as he sighed.

"Is everyone else up yet?" He mumbled groggily.

"I don't know. I just woke up…"

Inuyasha smirked, "Sleepy head."

She tried to pull back her hand again, and this time succeeded. He watched her thoughtfully, seemingly still half-asleep.

"How is your leg feeling?"

She glanced down at the blanket-covered form that was her leg.

"It's hurting again."

The half-demon nodded, pulling himself up with his elbows. She was still blushing, so she used this moment to cover from her nose down with the blanket. Her chocolate-brown eyes watched him curiously from over the rim of the blanket.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to go get that guy that has the special medicine."

Kagome looked down at the blanket, her lashes brushing her cheeks. Inuyasha stopped, turning to look at her.

"_If you kiss her, and she kisses back, she will be yours."_

_He snorted at Yuka's voice on the phone._

"_You don't think you have a chance? Look over your shoulder. Is she staring at you?"_

_He looked over his shoulder at the girl, who was staring at him intently from the table. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face._

"_Yes."_

"_Then you have your answer."_

Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder at her, meeting her eyes again. He quickly stood up, looking down at his feet.

_So, she seems to like me. But does she __**love**__ me?_

He smiled to himself and walked over to the door.

"Inuyasha?"

The half-demon stopped and looked over at her, "Yeah?"

"Um…could I come with you? Just help me stand."

He blinked a few times and then grunted.

"Stand my ass. I'll carry you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her out of the bed. She leaned into him, fervently glad that he was a half-demon.

He carried her down the staircase, looking at her from the corner of his eye every few seconds. She was staring at him again. He felt a smirk pull at the corner of his mouth. Maybe stealing a kiss wouldn't be that hard after all. But not right now…

"Good morning, sleepy-heads!" Eri hollered, hopping up and down animatedly.

Katsuo was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed with eyes closed. His soft blond hair fell across his forehead, reflecting light that streamed in through the blinds. Hojo was sitting at a table with Ayumi and Yuka. Ayumi looked reserved, her eyes full of concern as she kept glancing over at her brother. Hojo looked aggravated, his dark blue eyes fixed on Inuyasha as he descended the stairs with Kagome in his arms.

"Good morning!" Kagome shot a brilliant smile at the group.

"So, how is your leg?" Eri pursed her lips, worry etched on her face.

"That is what we came down for. She needs more medicine."

Yuka laughed, "You mean that you didn't come down to see our beautiful faces?"

"Baka." Kagome rolled her eyes.

Hido walked out from the other room, two trays in his hands. They were full of different sorts of food. He set them down on the table, turning to look at the new arrivals.

"Oh! Good morning, Kagome-chan."

"How do you know my name?"

Yuka shrugged, "We talked while waiting on you two to wake up. You practically slept yesterday away, so we got bored."

Kagome swallowed, "Oh…erm…sorry."

Hojo snorted and winced.

"So, we called the other dude, Marty, and he said the bus is ready. We'll head out after we eat."

Inuyasha sat down on a free seat with Kagome in his lap. She tried to pull herself up but his hands firmly grasped her waist.

"That sounds good."

His hand flew forward and snatched a bun off the tray. He bit into it and ripped a piece off, swallowing it. Inuyasha tore a piece off with his fingers and lifted it to Kagome's mouth. Heat flooded her cheeks.

"Inuyasha, I can do it my-"

The piece of bread was pushed into her open mouth. She blushed brighter, glowering at him and chewing.

Yuka snickered, avoiding Kagome's accusing and startled gaze. Hojo glared at Inuyasha and was met with a smug grin.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Hey, my lovelies! YAY! You officially know what Yuka said to make Inuyasha smile over the phone. So, not that he has some confidence, we can all look forward to the upcoming events. Yes, I shall admit, I'm being evil by keeping things from you. But, hey, you will stick around to find them out! (I hope) So, please keep reading and reviewing. Let me know what you think, and by gosh, please feel free to give suggestions or ideas. I love listening to them, and even though I don't add some, some of them give me other ideas. Thanks again and have fun!**

**Whitewolfffy ~**

**

* * *

**

~ Chapter Seventeen ~

The bus was in great shape, looking like nothing had happened. Inuyasha carried Kagome into the bus, ignoring her protests. Ayumi, after much arguing, got Hojo to agree to drive the bus so that Katsuo could have a rest. So, everyone reunited in the back of the bus, this time Katsuo in place of Hojo.

"Well, the _Black Blossoms_ are going to be in Nagoya tonight, so we are going to have to drive without stopping today." Katsuo explained while leaning against the seat.

"The first concert of the tour? So soon?" Eri gasped in amazement.

Katsuo nodded, yawning. Kagome pulled herself off Inuyasha's lap, sitting down on the seat beside him. He was being so odd lately…

"Well, we better stop for gas soon, because we are going to need it."

The ride went smoothly. No one had the desire to start the game back up at the moment. After stopping for gas, Hojo sped up the bus, not stopping as they made their way toward Nagoya. After many hours of talking and non-stop driving, they finally arrived. The girls jumped up and down, giggling and screeching their excitement.

Yuka and Eri helped Kagome up, supporting her weight on their shoulders. They went into a gas station with their bags, leaving the boys in the bus.

"So," Katsuo pulled off his sunglasses, looking over at Inuyasha, "Are you going to go into the concert with us?"

"I guess… I mean, is it a battle or something?"

The blond-haired boy laughed, shrugging.

"You could call it something like that. I mean, they battle their instruments to create the best sound they can from them."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, not understanding a word he said but nodding anyway. He sighed and glanced at Hojo. He was looking at them, listening intently. Inuyasha threw him a dirty look before looking back at Katsuo.

"So, Inuyasha, have you banged Kagome yet?"

The half-demon blinked in confusion. What the heck did 'banged' mean?

"What do you mean?"

Katsuo sighed and grinned, "Have you had sex with her yet?"

Inuyasha flushed and swallowed. He glowered at the guy.

_Just who the hell does this guy think he is? Like I would do something…I wouldn't…we haven't even…ugh._

"No, I haven't! Just shut up if you have something stupid to say."

Katsuo furrowed his brow. Slowly a smirk pulled across his lips.

"Say, Inuyasha, you wouldn't happen to be a _virgin_ would you?"

The half-demon stood up, balling his hands into fists. A growl escaped his throat. This guy was a complete moron!

"I told you to shut up if you had something stupid to say!"

"My, my, my…defensive aren't we? Hmm…may I ask one more thing?"

"No."

"Okay. Have you even French-kissed a girl before? Felt one up?"

"Damn it! I said shut your mouth!"

Katsuo sighed and put his arms behind his head.

"Wow, I feel for you, buddy. I guess I'm going to have to teach you some tricks during this trip. Y'know, Yuka told me about her little challenge for you. My boy, you need advice from a professional, not a school-girl."

Inuyasha blinked, his anger ebbing.

"Explain."

"I'm saying that I'll give you some advice. I'll teach you some tricks."

"So, you can tell me how to…" He glanced at Hojo, who had a searing glare directed at him.

"Sure I will. But, in exchange, you have to show me that sword of yours."

Inuyasha grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Later. You have to teach me some of these 'tricks' first."

Katsuo laughed, nodding.

"Very well."

"You know, you remind me strongly of a lecherous monk I know…"

"Oh yeah? How come?"

"Erm…never mind."

* * *

The girls came out of the gas station a few moments later. They had changed clothes in the bathroom. Inuyasha's eyes widened at the sight.

Kagome was wearing a mini-skirt and a tank top with a jean jacket over it. She was blushing and she kept glancing nervously down at her legs. He felt his own cheeks warm-up while looking at her attire. Sure, her uniform skirt was short, but it didn't show _this_ much of her legs. He cleared his throat and quickly looked away.

The girls boarded the bus, ecstatic smiles on their faces. Kat opened one eye lazily, smiling as he took in their appearances. He glanced at Inuyasha and his smile held a knowing-look to it. Inuyasha was staring at his shoes when Kagome sat down next to him. He noticed she was wearing shorts, but still…

"Are you all ready for an amazing night!?" Yuka hollered, placing her hands on her hips while beaming.

Everyone nodded. Yuka's mini-dress clad body twirled around as she posed a peace sign. She looked over at Hojo.

"To the concert, driver!"


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Hello, again! *smiles brightly* I'm glad to hear that all of you are still reading. Yes, I know waiting for my updates is frustrating, but I want to let you know I still appreciate your patience. I hope you are all proud of me! I did some research on Japan's surrounding cities and so all cities that are mentioned are real. ^.^ I will admit that coming up with new stuff for this story isn't easy. I mean, Kagome and Inuyasha's characters are fun to write about. But my goodness, I'm always afraid of disappointing all of you. *sigh* **

**Again, all suggestions and ideas are welcome. Sometimes my brain shuts down and I have difficulty with coming up with more. Please feel free to share your imagination ^.^ I'll try my best to listen and judge fairly. Haha, yes this chapter is going to be a WTF chapter, but I felt that we needed to establish Katsuo's new role with Inuyasha before the concert. *snicker* **

**If I could name this chapter, I would call it 'Lessons for the Ill-Mannered' or 'How to Train your Pooch' XD Anywhoo, tell me what you think. Next chapter is the concert. W00T!**

**Whitewolfffy~**

* * *

~ Chapter Eighteen ~

They were on their way. Ayumi had said that the concert would be starting in about an hour. Inuyasha figured that would be enough time to ask Katsuo more about these 'tricks' of his.

The half-demon scooted closer to Katsuo's seat, leaning in a bit and keeping his voice low. Kagome was talking with the other girls, her expression bright and happy despite her bandaged leg.

"Hey, Katsuo, why don't you teach me some of these 'tricks' right now?"

The boy grinned, slowly opening his bright blue eyes. He sighed, looking at Inuyasha from the corner of his eyes.

"You sure you want to start now?"

"Erm…just some basics."

Katsuo paused for a moment before pulling himself up, turning to sit sideways on the seat. He leaned against the window and looked Inuyasha in the eye.

"Alright, you want to begin some basics, do you?"

"Yeah."

The blond-haired boy pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose and then crossed his arms.

"Lesson number one, my dear boy, is starting. When thinking about women, you must understand one thing about them."

Inuyasha nodded, his attention fully set on Katsuo's words.

"Some people say that women don't make sense, but I beg to differ. Sure, they don't act like the male species and they don't have one-track minds, but that doesn't necessarily make them confusing. It just makes it all the more difficult to learn the way they work. When setting your attention on one girl, you must have a goal. So, here it is," Katsuo stopped to yawn, "There are three things that you must accomplish to win the girl over. Number one: Her attention. Yeah, you can grab a girl by the shoulders and shake her, but you aren't going to get her attention in the right way. You have to make her interested in you. But, since its obvious Kagome already likes you that way, we just need to make it to where she can't stop thinking about you. Every second she feels the nagging urge to look at your face."

Inuyasha stared at him, one eyebrow raised. He understood so far, but he couldn't quite see where Katsuo was heading.

"Getting her permanent attention is your goal today – erm, tonight. Got it?"

"Yeah, but how do I start?"

Katsuo grinned, the expression on his face hinting that they had just entered his area of expertise.

"Girls love compliments. Not all girls like romance, and not all girls like candy or guys in particular. But know one thing, my good boy, girls love compliments. It makes them feel powerful, enlightened. It even makes them feel good about themselves, especially if they think that you think their goods are nice."

The half-demon nodded.

"So, when approaching a girl to get her attention, you give her compliments. Nothing too flashy, and don't over-do it. Just give her a compliment above the neck, and one compliment below the neck."

"What about?'

"It doesn't really matter. The point is that you are trying to be cute. And right when she thinks that you are a nice fellow that she can play around with, insult her."

"That won't be a problem…" Inuyasha mumbled to himself.

"Alright, go try it out." Katsuo gestured to Kagome.

Inuyasha swallowed, suddenly feeling very nervous. He stood up, trying to clear his head and think of what to compliment her on. As he approached her small form, he felt his mind go blank.

"Erm…uh…Kagome?"

She looked up curiously, her wide brown eyes wide.

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

_One compliment above the neck…_

"Your…uh…hair looks pretty today."

The girl blinked a few times, looking extremely surprised. She smiled.

"Thanks!"

Inuyasha felt his breathing go un-even.

_Erm…a compliment below the neck…_

The problem with this one was that he couldn't think of anything. His thoughts went completely blank. He blurted the first thing he that hit him.

"You have nice breasts."

Kagome looked back up at him slowly. She blinked a few times, disbelief on her face. Her cheeks turned bright red. The other girls gawked at him, shocked.

"I'm…erm…being honest. They're nice and…uh…round?"

"I-Inuyasha…" She curled her hands into fists, turning angry.

Katsuo sighed, shaking his head. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped.

_What the heck am I saying!? Uh…I guess I have to say an insult now._

"Too bad you-"

Katsuo's hand grabbed the sleeve of his jacket, pulling him along. He dragged him to the front of the bus.

"SIT BOY!"

Both boys went down, their faces hitting the floor. Inuyasha grunted, quite used to it. He pulled himself up, helping Katsuo up. Katsuo brushed off his jeans and walked to the front. He looked glared at Inuyasha, rubbing his temples with his forefingers.

"You _moron_! What the heck were you thinking!?"

"Uh…I wasn't thinking…"

"Obviously, you weren't. Don't you remember my words on not 'over-doing' it?"

"What do you mean?"

Katsuo sighed, glancing at a fuming Kagome. Her friends patted her back, talking to her and looking over at Inuyasha.

"I mean that you shouldn't just say stuff like that so suddenly. You should be smooth about it, not just blurt out that her boobs are nice."

Inuyasha sputtered. He gripped Tetsusaiga's sheath.

_Then how does he expect me to compliment her? I didn't even get the chance to insult her!_

"I didn't even get the chance to insult her!" He repeated out-loud.

"Believe me, you did both without help."

Kagome was still bright red, staring at her hands. Inuyasha huffed, crossing his arms.

"Just wait till the concert. She'll calm down and then you can try again." Katsuo sighed.

Hojo sniggered from the front seat. He seemed to take pleasure in hearing Inuyasha's problems with Kagome.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**~ Chapter Nineteen ~**

It was dark out, the sun retreating as night approached, armed with people ready for fun and clubbing, perhaps in this case a concert.

Kagome was still flustered over Inuyasha's odd behavior, keeping her distance from him and avoiding his eyes. It served him right, that was for sure. The girls were really excited and showed it by jumping up and down, squealing over their favorite member of the band.

"We have tickets in the fourth row, too! We get to feel the heat, the _sweat_!" Yuka squeaked.

Inuyasha furrowed his brow. These girls liked seeing men sweat? He assumed they had never met farmers before. What was so special about this 'band' sweat? He rolled his eyes as Kagome joined in with the giggling.

"Will we get to have autographs!?"

"At the last concert we get to go back-stage! So, we can then!"

"Oh my gosh! Eek!!"

Katsuo seemed his normal self, laid-back and immune to the girls' eccentric behavior. He only smirked when Inuyasha inquired as to what they were freaking-out over.

"It's the concert."

"Oh, so they are excited to see this 'fight'?"

The half-demon was still confused. Kagome never got this squeaky while seeing him fight demons. Did these guys have a special power or something?

"Do these guys have special powers or something?" He repeated out-loud.

Katsuo grinned, "You could call it that. A special power over the hearts of the fair gender, my boy. These special men are looked up to by girls and referred to as 'heart-throbs'."

Inuyasha grunted, not understanding completely what he meant but getting the gist of it.

"So, basically, these guys use their 'charms' to woo girls?"

The blond expert nodded, his blue eyes veiled by sunglasses.

"Yes, it is a sad thing. Girls fall victims to their gelled-hair and posed pictures in magazines. Even their soulful voices make females swoon. What has this world come to?"

Inuyasha failed to hear the sarcasm dripping from Katsuo's voice. Instead his eyes widened it concern.

_These humans could make Kagome fall under a spell!? I can't let that happen. I won't. I'll go with them and meet this deceitful group of warlocks. Damn them if they think they can seduce my Kagome with their wits!_

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, determination set in. As the hour ticked by, people started flooding into the building they were parked in front of. Kagome leaned against Yuka and Eri for support, completely ignoring Inuyasha's offered hand. She was still disconcerted.

* * *

They made their way in, a bored but willing Katsuo following with a cautious and alert Inuyasha behind him. Inuyasha had made a promise to Kagome, so he kept his fingers way from his sword's sheath and instead kept his knuckles popping at the ready.

Upon entering, Inuyasha couldn't help being awed as he looked around. Every single ant-sized seat in the giant building was full, crowded, and screaming with fan-girls.

"Wow." He breathed.

_These warlocks' spell is strong to attract so many innocent women. I'll have to stay close to Kagome tonight._

The girls made their way to their seats, still bleating like little sheep about the upcoming entertainment. Inuyasha sat down in a seat beside Kagome's, ignoring her anxious glower. He swallowed and scanned the huge stage. There were too many innocents around, so it would be hard to win a battle without hurting someone.

Too bad Kagome left her arrows in the Feudal Era.

Soon the lights dimmed in the area and Inuyasha covered his ears in pain as screams burst through the building. He groaned, leaning forward from the sudden torture that ripped through his eardrums. But that was nothing compared to the speakers on the stage.

A demonic and high-pitched sound blasted through them and he cried out, sure that his ears would bleed. Kagome and the girls didn't seem bothered by this deadly sound though, and only jumped up and down, screaming in excitement and waving their hands in the air. Kagome had her weight leaning into Ayumi's shoulder.

"**All we want is **_**rock**_** and **_**blood**_**!"** The speakers screeched as a group of guys emerged from a hole in the stage.

"**Offer your souls and your ears as a sacrifice to our music gods!" **One guy belted the words out.

Inuyasha grimaced, feeling a piercing pain drag through his sensitive dog-ears. He slowly pulled himself up, looking like he could almost cry and yell at the same time.

_Damn it, this must be their spell. The girls are infatuated._

He glanced at Katsuo and Hojo, only to be proved right that they looked completely un-impressed and only amused. He gritted his teeth, trying to bite back the slow torture these sounds were causing him to endure.

_I have to be strong and break this spell. I have to free Kagome and these people from this._

He couldn't imagine pulling back even one hand from his ears, though. Surely his head would explode if he did.

He examined the stage through squinted golden eyes, feeling satisfied when he spotted these torture devices called speakers.

The half-demon crouched and launched his body into the air, landing on the far-end of the stage. He pulled back his leg and propelled the muscles forward with all his might, blowing a hole through the speakers and sending them flying across the room. The noise made a screeching protest before cutting off.

Inuyasha let his arms fall to his sides, feeling relief kiss his ears. His golden eyes glanced around the room, only to be met by hundreds of eyes and open mouths. He swallowed, waiting for the yelled 'thank you' from many girls or even Kagome's cheering. Instead, they hollered out aggravation and passionate anger.

He couldn't help but blink in surprise. Even Kagome was looking near-tears, she was fuming so awfully. Inuyasha lifted his chin into the air, strolling toward the steps. Suddenly a huge mob of angry females broke through the lines, charging toward him. The half-demon yelped and pushed his feet against the wood of the floor, flying through the air. He landed beside Kagome and wrapped an arm around her waist.

_The spell has transformed them into brain-damaged zombies! I must get Kagome out of here!_

He soared through the air, landing at the door and busting it open, taking off into a run. The enormous mob of over a hundred infuriated females followed, flooding out of the building and looking toward the sky for signs of the insane idiot.

But he was on the ground, running so fast that he was a blur. Kagome yelled and pounded on his back, seriously angry. She would normally yell the sit command, but if she did she would go down with him and the angry mob would pummel them.

"You _jerk_! You _baka_! You infuriating, impossible, beastly excuse for a man! I'm so going to hurt you when you put me down!! DO YOU HEAR ME!?"

He ignored her, fearing that her mind was still affected. His feet were silent on the ground as he flew over the concrete and onto grass as they entered a forest. The mob would lose them in here.

He propelled himself upward, landing gracefully on a branch. He scooted to the trunk, pulling Kagome onto his lap and holding her there.

"YOU ARE SO DEAD! DEAD, I TELL YOU! DEAD!!! I would make you land on your face right now if it wasn't for our situation right now! What the heck were you thinking!? YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE, MISTER!!!"

He sighed, clamping a firm hand over her mouth and pulling her back against his chest. The furious mob would definitely find them if she kept ranting like that.

"Mmmm mmm mmmm mm mmmmm mmmm mmf?!"

Inuyasha sighed. He brushed his lips against his ear and whispered.

"I'll let you speak if you promise to be quiet."

A shiver ran up the girl's spine as his teeth grazed her ear. She gulped, refusing to let her anger ebb. She nodded slowly.

"Alright, what did you say?"

"I said, 'what the heck is wrong with you!?'"

"Nothing is wrong with me. My ears are still ringing from those damn demonic noises, and an angry mob of over a hundred zombie-girls are chasing us. Other than that, I'm just fine."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, "Demonic noises!? That is called an electric guitar and hard rock, baka."

He gritted his teeth.

"Don't call me an idiot."

"What would you have me call you; GG the poofy poodle?"

Inuyasha grunted, pulling her tighter to him as sounds of yelling echoed through the trees.

"Silence. They are approaching."

The young priestess complied, going quiet for a moment. She leaned her head against his shoulder, looking down through the leaves as girls swarmed the area like ants. They looked infuriated, though she couldn't blame them. Kagome closed her eyes, trying to focus on controlling her breathing and being absolutely soundless.

Inuyasha had his arms wrapped firmly around her, trying not to revel in the feel of her small body against his and instead focus on the zombies on the ground. He could hear over a hundred voices hissing, shouting, and muttering curse words and threats they would act out if they ever got their hands on that damn moron.

The half-demon could hear Kagome's heart slowing down, and his own as well. He sniffed her raven hair timidly, mentally sighing as her strawberry scent made his pulse race. Damn it, being focused was difficult at the moment.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Ello! Mwahahaha! Just a few more reviews and it will officially be over 100 reviews! YAY! Feel proud of yourselves! For me, please reach over and pat yourself on the back. ....for those of you that did *hugs* you are more like me than you realize...haha please don't be scared! For those of you that didn't and are thinking 'Just get on with what you are saying so that I can read this chapter'...well, yup I can't exactly blame you. But it is my duty to type PARTY POOPER! XD Anywhoo, I think the story is coming along fine. **

**Now, I know some of you are dedicated readers to this story, so for those of you that actually care, I'm going to show you (more like type for you) when the story will end. Go to Google and type in 'Japan maps of cities'. Click the first thing that comes up. Yeah...you should see a map. Well, my lovelies, you should be viewing Tokyo, and right under that is Nagoya. The tour will be moving to the right. When they hit that last city, you know you are about to witness the end of my ramblings ^.^ So, I just want to say that I'm sorry for any problems or frustrations you might have endured so far, and I want to continue to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for reading this...*cough* fanfic. I'm posting more, and by gosh I can't seem to type fast enough. Enjoy!**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

~ Chapter Twenty ~

Inuyasha sat there for a moment, waiting for the girls to disperse. Instead, they pulled out flashlights and started hollering back and forth across the trees. He was amazed at how organized they were.

_Well, I guess I'm going to have to get back without touching the ground._

He stood up lithely, grabbing Kagome up in his arms as he crouched. She looked at his face with absolute trust, intertwining her arms around his neck and holding on tightly. The half-demon jumped silently from branch to branch, the moonlight reflecting off his white hair and making it look almost pearly. Kagome caught her breath and then looked away, trying to maintain her irritated mood. It wasn't easy, that was for sure.

He smelled wonderful, like pine and clean grass. It was a familiar and comforting scent. She closed her eyes, even though she was by now utterly used to the feeling of flying through the air. He was so graceful in his movements, too. He landed lightly and then propelled through the night again, soaring and causing the breeze to caress her cheeks. It was almost soothing, his arms cradling her and his movements somewhat rhythmic.

Soon they landed on the branch of the last tree, the concert building in the distance. He narrowed his eyes, the liquid gold taking on a determined hue. Inuyasha jumped once more, landing on the ground and fluidly taking off into a blur. He passed by the building, blending in with the shadows. The half-demon found the bus and landed in front of the doors.

The doors burst open immediately. Hojo jumped down onto the steps, grabbing Kagome and tearing her from Inuyasha's arms before he could blink. She gasped as he hugged her tightly.

"Kagome! Are you alright? Did you get hurt? There were so many fans! Ugh, I can't believe that happened!"

The boy shot a deathly glare at Inuyasha, who only growled lowly.

"Kagome!"

"Oh my gosh, you are alright!"

Inuyasha crossed his arms, _Oh, thanks for your concern! I'm fine, too._

Katsuo appraised Inuyasha with an amazed expression. He grinned when their eyes met.

"Some show, though it was too short for my taste. I should go to these things more often."

Yuka glanced at the half-demon with a disapproving look. She sighed.

"How did you do that?" Eri asked eagerly, not seeming annoyed but only curious and happy as usual.

"How did I do what?"

The girl smiled sweetly, placing her hands on her hips.

"How on earth did you fly over the audience like that?"

Ayumi's eyes flickered to his head. Her eyes widened a bit.

"Oh, hey, I didn't notice your headpiece. They're cute, but why would you wear cosplay to a concert?"

Inuyasha blinked, his snowy-white dog ears twitching at her voice.

_Ah, man, the hat must have fallen off while I was in the building. Ugh, I forgot that Kagome doesn't want her friends seeing them._

"I…erm…"

Kagome swallowed, finally prying away from a concerned Hojo. She interjected quickly.

"You see, Inuyasha wanted to support the band, so he wore dog ears like the ones they wore in one of their music videos."

"Oh, the _Dogs of the Night_ song?"

"Erm…yeah…that one."

Katsuo barked a laugh, running a hand through his soft blonde hair. The moonlight shined on it, making it look like a fine pearly-color.

"Yeah, I can tell he _really_ supports the band, considering that he just blew a hole through the speakers at the first concert of their tour…._and_ got chased by an enormous mob of furious fan girls." He added the last part as more of an afterthought.

Kagome only sighed, rubbing her temples with her forefingers. She leaned on Ayumi, climbing up the bus' steps and walking down the aisle. Inuyasha followed the others into the bus, glancing over his shoulder cautiously, half-afraid that the mob would appear out of no-where.

_They're not kidding when they say that these fans are dedicated._ Kagome mused as she sat down and leaned against the seat.

Inuyasha's heady pine scent assaulted her nose as he sat down beside her. She jerked her head to the side to keep her heart from melting to goo. If his scent was so effective on her, it would be even harder to look at him.

_How is it that he has such an effect over me? I'm such an idiot…_

Katsuo was back in the driver's seat, looking well-rested and back to his normal night-owl self. She couldn't understand the way his body-clock worked. The bus started up and he carefully drove them out of the parking lot.

"Alright, people, next stop – Osaka."

Kagome yawned and closed her eyes, starting to drift off as they merged onto the highway. Inuyasha sighed, his eyes widening.

_Uh oh, tomorrow is…_


	21. Interview Chapter

**~ Interview Chapter~**

Whitewolfffy: Hello, again, lovelies! I've been talking to myself (as always) and I've decided to take a break chapter just to make everyone laugh! Getting permission from three of my most loyal readers (Mari605i, alikmionejean, Inu'sgirl4ever) this chapter shall be an interview with some of the cast and them. Kagome, Inuyasha, and Yuka are here. If it was up to me and my infinite imagination, I would stick all of my lovely readers in here! But *sniffle* sadly, it isn't very logical to add everyone in here and it would be too hard and take up way too much space and time. Plus, I don't know each one of you personally, and I might make one of you act out of character on accident *chuckles*

Kagome: Erm…who are you talking to?

Whitewolfffy: *sweat drop* Uh…no one, it was just the camera. Anyway, Kagome, I've summoned all of you back to the interview room to ask some questions.

Inuyasha: Please don't tell me that more unnecessary ramblings will be involved…

Whitewolfffy: Oh, of course not! Just the normal WTF moments *big grin*

Mari605i: Inuyasha, why don't you kill Hojo? Seriously, he is such an idiot!

Inuyasha: I couldn't agree more, wench.

Yuka: Because if he did, Kagome's best friends would pin him to the ground and perform some unmentionable deeds *wicked snigger* He has to win fairly.

Inu'sgirl4ever: *smiles* Oh! Pocky! *snatches a hidden box of Pocky from under Whitewolfffy's chair* It's strawberry, too! =3

Whitewolfffy: Anywhoo…*flips page on clipboard* Yuka, why do you think Inuyasha is such a great match for Kagome? I mean, what changed your mind about Hojo?

Yuka: Well, I just want what makes Kagome happy. If a moron like Inuyasha makes her smile, then I'll watch from the sidelines with a wooden bat at the ready.

Inuyasha: HEY! How dare you call me a moron! *growls*

Kagome: Don't raise your voice to her! Lay back and sit.

*the Beads of Subjugation glow and you hear a thud as Inuyasha falls forward out of the chair and his face hits the ground. Kagome blinks a few times.*

Kagome: Oops…sorry…

Alikmionejean: Hey, why is Yuka a main character and not Eri or Ayumi?

Whitewolfffy: Erm…that's a question for the writer, not the cast…

*everyone turns to stare at Whitewolfffy. She pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose*

Whitewolfffy: Well, Eri is too sweet to play-out the mischievous acts that I need done, and Ayumi is too withdrawn and shy. Besides, Yuka has always been the bold-leader type anywhoo in the show…

Yuka: *looks flattered and sparkles appear around her face* Oh! Thank you so much!

Whitewolfffy: Don't thank me; you're just a figment of my imagination.

Mari605i: Could you use your 'figment of imagination' skills to send me through a well?

Whitewolfffy: Unfortunately, I can only do it on paper.

Inuyasha: Oh, God, don't send her back with us! What did I ever do to you!?

Mari605i: What on earth did _I_ do to _you_!? I just want to jump down a well, too!

Inu'sgirl4ever: *munches on Pocky* Actually, that doesn't sound half-bad. Can we, Whitewolfffy?

Whitewolfffy: Erm…what about the interview?

Alikmionejean: Hey, can we play Truth or Dare in honor of the story!?

*silent moment*

Inu'sgirl4ever: YAY!! LET'S PLAY!!

Mari605i: Oh please! PLEASE!?

Whitewolfffy: *rubs temples* But only a few turns I suppose. *sigh* I have a bad feeling about this…

Mari605i: Inuyasha, Truth or Dare?

Inuyasha: *pulls himself up into the chair and stares blankly at the girl* Erm…Dare?

Mari605i: I dare you to…take off your kimono!

Inu'sgirl4ever: STRIP! STRIP!

Alikmionejean: *sighs* This fan-base is rather disturbing sometimes…

Inuyasha: The hell I will!

Mari605i: You will!?

Inuyasha: *grunt* No.

Kagome: Ah, c'mon! For the fans?

Yuka: This is highly inappropriate…

Whitewolfffy: Next! NEXT!

*Mari605i and Inu'sgirl4ever stand up and start jumping up and down*

Both of them: STRIKE! STRIKE! We call a strike!

Inuyasha: What the hell does that mean!?

Kagome: It means that they aren't budging or continuing the conversation further till you give in to their demands.

Whitewolfffy: I suck at interviewing people. Maybe I should be a janitor…

Alikmionejean: Hey, where'd the Pocky go? Holy crap, Inu'sgirl4ever, what are you _doing_!?

*Whitewolfffy covers her eyes and groans, throwing the clipboard to the side in defeat*

Mari605i: STRIKE! STRIP FOR OUR STRIKE!!!

Inu'sgirl4ever: Give in to our demands lest the Pocky suffer!! *dangles Pocky over a black pit of doom that appears out of no where*

Kagome: NO! Don't harm the dear Pocky!!!

Inuyasha: SCREW THE POCKY! I'm not obeying anyone!

Alikmionejean: Wow, Inuyasha, you are cold…

Kagome: *turns away from him, crossing her arms* If you don't strip for the Pocky, then I won't ever talk to you again!

Inuyasha: You wouldn't do that to me! You…you can't!!

Mari605i: *still chanting and jumping* STRIP FOR THE STRIKE!!!

Whitewolfffy: Sadly, according to my writing, she can.

Inuyasha: Whitewolfffy, rewrite the script!

Yuka: Inuyasha, just take off your stupid kimono top…

*Whitewolfffy peeks from between her fingers to watch*

Inuyasha: *grumble* I can't believe I'm doing this…

*He takes off his kimono top. Mari605i and Inu'sgirl4ever screech and their eyes widen*

Alikmionejean: *blinks* You…uh…might want to brace yourself, Inuyasha.

Inuyasha: Why? *confused expression*

*Mari605i and Inu'sgirl4ever glomp him. You hear a thud and Inuyasha and the girls are no longer visible on the screen. Everyone looks down at the floor. Whitewolfffy and alikmionejean wince and cringe as they watch the on-goings not visible to the viewers*

Alikmionejean: _Wow_, now those are some obsessed fans! Holy crow! How on earth did they _do_ that!? OOOOH, now **that** looks like it'll leave a mark…

Whitewolfffy: *sigh* I need to get a better keyboard…I think this one is experiencing spasms…

Yuka: Wow, seriously, what happened to his pants? I mean, they just _vanished_!

Alikmionejean: They're probably stashed away as a keep-sake for later.

Mari605i: Ebay, people! EBAY!!!

Whitewolfffy: *swallows and looks at the camera slowly* Well, I believe this 'interview' is pretty much over. It is my honest duty as an author to skip the future proceedings brought on by fan girls to the poor half-demon. *cough* Thank you for getting through this and please continue to read the story.

Inuyasha: AHHHHH!! OH, MY LEGS! AHHH!! OUCH!!!

Kagome: *faints*


	22. Chapter TwentyOne

**Hey, everyone! I hope all of you liked the interview, because if enough people ask for it, I'm going to write more along the way! ;) Btw, in the other interviews, if requested, I'll put different people in each one. I mean, it's only fair to let anyone try it, right? So, if you want to be in one of the reviews, let me know and I will schedule it! I want to give HUGE love and thanks to Mari605i, Inu'sgirl4ever, and alikmionejean for their support and willing attitudes to let me write about them. ^.^ I love each and every one of you for your support and reviews!**

**BIG NEWS!!! For those of you that have read my very first fanfic 'The Night of Snow', you know that I didn't ever write an end and I left it open to the reader's imagination. Well, I have recieved a special request from one of my readers to go back and write an ending for it for her birthday. So, since I absolutely LOVE my readers, I agreed and I'm actually pretty excited to touch it again. Well, for those of you that are interested, please feel free to go look it up. ;) **

**P.S. I'm completely open to requests from people. But please understand that I DO NOT write Lemons. I will be more than psyched to write a story for you if you are one of my loyal fans ( still trying to wrap my head around the word 'fan'. It's such a strong word! T.T )**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

**~ Chapter Twenty-One~**

The half-demon glowered at the boy across from him. Dark brown met liquid gold in a clash of proud obstinacy. The human's eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips. Inuyasha's muscles tensed, curling his lip back in a snarl at the human. Hojo reacted with a grunt, balling his hands into fists. The two males didn't even blink, the testosterone making their territorial instincts kick in.

"Will you two stop gazing into each other's eyes and get your butts over here!?"

Yuka placed her hands on her hips, some-how pulling off the 'annoyed girl on a mission' look. Kagome had been ignoring the boys sitting in the back of the bus, and instead helped her female friends point out destinations and stops on a map that was laid out over an empty seat in front of them. They drew little red dots on the places where they would be making pit-stops.

Inuyasha didn't break eye-contact with the irritating human, and instead growled even deeper. Yuka rolled her eyes.

"Kagome, could you make your boyfriend back off?"

Kagome swallowed and looked over her shoulder at him.

"Inuyasha?"

He broke his eyes away from Hojo to look at her. She was the only one he would listen to.

"What?"

"Stop eye-balling Hojo, please. It's kind of disturbing."

"Yeah, it's _disturbing_." The boy grinned at the half-breed.

Inuyasha looked at the guy from the corner of his eyes. His amber eyes locked on the human's face.

"Don't make me re-construct your nose structure again."

Hojo went quiet after that. Inuyasha got up and walked over to the girls. Kagome chewed on her nails absent-mindedly as she stared at the map's design.

"So, we are planning on stopping at this store at eleven, and then at twelve we'll grab something to eat. Then, we'll stop here for the night." She pointed at a red dot on the map.

Inuyasha blinked and glanced at Kagome when the girls started rambling about different stores. She was still chewing on her fingernails in thought.

"If you eat your fingers, you won't be hungry for lunch."

Kagome blinked and looked up at him, pulling her hand away. After a minute his words registered. She smiled playfully and smacked his arm. Inuyasha only grinned back at her, causing her heart to flutter in her chest at the sight. It was truly a rare thing that he showed any kind of positive emotion on his features, and on top of that he looked absolutely adorable when he did.

Kagome quickly averted her eyes to her friends, still very much aware of Inuyasha's presence beside her. She was blushing faintly.

"Ayumi…erm…when are we going to stop at that store?"

"In a bit, I suppose."

"Oh, look," Eri smiled brightly, running over to one of the windows, "There are tons of cars around us!"

Kagome looked through the windows lining the bus' sides, and sure enough, they were surrounded by cars. Katsuo let out a groan and the bus started to slow down.

"Is there something wrong?" Yuka sighed.

"Yes, there most certainly is. There is road construction up ahead."

Eri squeaked excitedly, bouncing up and down.

"What is your problem? That isn't a good thing!" Yuka snapped at her friend.

The other girl grunted with strain as she pried the windows open. Everyone turned to watch as she shoved the glass up and stuck her head through it.

"I used to do this with my mom and dad on road trips. DPWC."

"What is DPWC?" Kagome blinked, walking over and sitting down in the seat beside Eri's.

"Disturbing People Waving to Cars."

Kagome couldn't help the huge smile that pulled at her lips. Yuka and Ayumi shrugged, walking over to windows of their own. The idea was so stupid, so senseless, that Kagome couldn't help but want to try it.

She shoved her own window open, sticking her head out. Soon every passer-by could plainly see four female heads sticking out the side of the bus. They all squeezed out some more, and soon they began waving and hollering at cars beside them.

_Disturbing People Waving to Cars?_ Inuyasha mused on this, rolling his eyes when Kagome yelled something funny to a red car.

"Hey, sweet heart," The guy in the red car rolled down his window and set his eyes on Kagome, "Do you have plans for tonight?"

"If we can get out of this traffic jam, then yeah!" Yuka yelled for her.

"Well, what do you think about walking your pretty little legs over here to my car while we wait? I could show you some road games."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and he stuck his head out the empty window beside Kagome's.

"Hey, I know a fun road game. It's called Road kill. Want to play?"

Kagome threw him a dirty look, "Don't be rude!"

"Hey, buddy, why don't you shut your mouth and stay out of this? This is me and the little lady's conversation."

"She isn't _your_ little lady, 'buddy'."

The guy raised an eyebrow, "Oh, and are you the one to claim that privilege?"

"Why? Do you want to mate with her?" Inuyasha hollered obnoxiously.

The girls' heads jerked to look at the half-demon with expressions of confusion and irritation.

"That sounds pretty good if you're willing to share!"

Inuyasha's golden eyes narrowed.

_Why that little…_

The half-demon jerked his head back into the bus. All of the girls exhaled in relief. Before they could yell at the guy in the red car, there was a thud and the bus' doors slammed open. Inuyasha jumped off the steps and strolled over to the red car. The girls stared in shock and anxiety.

The guy in the car opened his door and stepped out. Kagome's chocolate eyes grew wide and she clamped a hand over her mouth. She withdrew her head and ran out of the bus as well. Inuyasha's clawed hand flew out and he wrapped his fingers around the guy's throat.

"Hey, buddy, don't you _ever_ talk like that about my girl. Little wimps like you couldn't even begin to comprehend the pain, the _torture_ that I have gone through for her. She is everything, and you are nothing. So don't you even attempt to talk so lightly about her, or the next word uttered out of that trap of yours is going to be your last. Got it?"

The man gulped and nodded fervently. Inuyasha pulled back his hand slowly, watching with satisfaction as the guy retreated into his car, rolling up the windows and locking the door. Kagome stomped over to Inuyasha, grabbing onto the front of his jacket.

He didn't even cringe as her heated glare met his face.

"What on earth do you think you are _doing_?"

"Why, putting the fear of gods into a human's body, of course."

Kagome clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes.

"You should never get out of a bus and do that to someone in the middle of a traffic-jam, got it?"

"Then when would you like me to do it to someone?" He smirked, surprisingly calm.

"Inuyasha, shut up! Don't be sarcastic with me, mister! I've had to put up with your undomesticated behavior for almost a week now, and it's driving me crazy. So, don't act so nice and calm after pulling a guy out of his car in the middle of a freaking traffic-jam!"

"I didn't pull him out. He got out all by himself."

"Don't back-talk me!"

"Then get your facts straight!"

"Get _your_ head straight!"

"Maybe if you quit yelling at me, I would."

"I wouldn't have to yell at you if you didn't act like such a dog!"

"If you haven't noticed, I _am_ half-dog!"

"NAH!"

There were hollers through speakers in the distance announcing that the cars could begin driving again. The vehicles around them started moving forward, but Kagome didn't release his jacket.

"I am so sick of your mouth!"

"Well, I'm sick of listening to your harping, so I guess we're even!"

"Harping? What are you implying there, you jerk?"

"I'm not implying anything! I'm only stating a simple fact."

Their noses were practically touching by now, but neither seemed to take notice. Kagome refused to stop yelling, and Inuyasha didn't seem any closer to apologizing then he ever had been.

"And what, may I inquire, is that 'simple fact'?"

"That you act like a bitch!"

Kagome went silent, and all of her anger seemed to seep out of her. Her fingers released the black material of his jacket, and she felt hot tears sting at the corner of her eyes. The young priestess sniffled and hurt filled her expression.

"I…you think I'm…a…"

The dam that had been holding back her tears broke and they fell down her cheeks freely, leaving a hot wet trail behind. She wasn't even irritated anymore.

Inuyasha's nose twitched as the smell of salt and water reached nostrils. His golden eyes widened as he saw the tears falling down her face.

_Oh, damn it! I…I made her cry._

He could feel pain stab through his heart as he recognized the hurt etched across her adorable features. He inwardly swore at himself and felt a bit of self-loathing. The half-demon lifted up his thumb and brushed a salty tear off her cheek.

Even at his touch, she didn't cringe. He felt even worse now.

"Oh…Kagome…I'm…I'm so-"

Horns blasted around them, demanding that they move. Katsuo stuck his head out the window.

"Hey, love birds, do you mind getting in the bus before we have to come scrap you off the pavement?"

Inuyasha ignored them, using his sleeve to wipe off her face. She didn't meet his eyes and he felt a growl rise in his throat. He was a bit angry, not at her, but himself.

"Kagome, I'm so…I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that. Please don't cry."

She shoved his arm away with her hand half-heartedly and walked around him, towards the bus. He turned around and called after her, but he was met with silence except for the honking of horns.

"Inuyasha, get in the bus!"

The half-demon sighed, feeling really guilty and also disturbed that Kagome hadn't answered him. Then again, he had never said something that hurtful to her before. This time he had severely damaged her feelings, and he was (he would deny it if asked) scared that she wouldn't forgive him.

Inuyasha lopped over to the bus and scrambled inside. The girls were in the back with Kagome. Eri and Ayumi were rubbing her back and talking to her in hushed tones. Yuka approached him with a wary look.

"Inuyasha," She narrowed her eyes as the bus lurched forward, "What did you say to Kagome? She is really hurt, but she won't give a direct answer."

"I…I said something bad to her." He admitted, preparing himself for yelling from Yuka.

Instead, she sighed and rubbed her temples, seriously thinking it over. When she looked up to meet his eyes, she seemed quite serious.

"Inuyasha, I won't lecture you, because I'm sure that you already realize how wrong you are. You alone should fix this, and you _will_." He could hear the hidden promise behind her words.

"How?"

"Hmm…y'know, that's for you to decide. I'm not helping you out this time."


	23. Chapter TwentyThree

**'Ello! I know, I know, you are probably itching for me to just stop all of these stupid author's notes and just let you read. Well, you have simply two choices. You may A: Skip over this stupid waste of space that is called an 'author's note' or B: Just grin and bear it so that you aren't confused when something comes up and wondering why you weren't warned. Well, HAHA! You _were_ warned (in the author's notes). **

**Anywhoo, I'm highly considering and chewing on doing a one-shot for another reader's birthday, but, I seriously need to think up one and I need to work on this stuff. So, my lovely, if you are reading this, I will get back to you on that ASAP but my other stories on here need love, too. **

**In this Chappie, I was going to just skip ahead, but hey, I figured this would be a little something fun to add in just to make all of you smile and think 'Oh, the irony!'. Plus, I want all of you to understand the state of mind that Kagome is in as well as Inuyasha. AGAIN - thank you all for you _fantastic_ reviews and compliments! I am still thoroughly shocked that this was such a hit, and I am still trying to get used to the idea of tons of people reading my stuff . Please deal with my pea-sized mind as I try to update regularly. I CAN make you all a promise, though. I will never ever be one of those writers that only posts once a month. I will post at least once a week, even if my schedule is freakin' full. So, please stick with me and I'll stick with you! **

**I was thoroughly confused on whether to title this the 22 Chappie or the 23rd. I mean, the interview wasn't a Chapter per-say, and yet it took the place of where the 22nd would be. And so, after much hair loss due to my pulling it out, I finally settled with just saying 'What the heck' and titling it the 23rd. Feel free to laugh at me.**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

**~Chapter Twenty-Three~ **

Inuyasha's eyes flickered over to the girl sitting next to him. She had her arms crossed and she was staring out the window. He sighed, cursing inwardly at himself. He was severely distressed, not only because his priestess was ignoring him, but also because in a few hours the sun would be setting.

A white shopping back was sitting at her feet, and she was wearing an emotionless mask on her face. He closed his eyes, his white ear twitching under the baseball cap that was sitting firmly on his head. Hojo was talking to Ayumi and Eri, telling them some story about his ancestors.

"…He lost his footing, plummeting toward the earth's moist soil. Right at that moment, as the Celestial Robe fell onto the ground, Kaguya gasped."

Inuyasha pursed his lips, glancing at Kagome in the corner of his eye. She refused to look at him, and it was seriously making him nervous.

"…Lady Kagome's arrow shot right back out of the mirror's surface, flying straight toward the half-demon's chest."

Eri and Ayumi gasped and their eyes grew wide. They leaned forward, listening intently.

"It's amazing that the girl that married his ancestor was named Kagome. Truly…"

"Lady Kagome jumped in front of her love, covering his chest with her own. A huff of air escaped her lungs as the arrow pierced her back, pinning the Celestial Robe against her flesh. The night was silent, and the half-demon's voice let out a rumbling cry through the air, belting out her name in agony. 'Kagome! KAGOME!' He screamed in horror."

Hojo spoke animatedly, gesturing with his hands and grinning widely as the girls' reactions satisfied his expectations. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, his eyes fixing on Hojo. Why did this story sound so familiar?

Kagome swallowed, trying to maintain her blank expression as she realized that Hojo's 'ancestral' stories were actually about her and Inuyasha. She closed her eyes and felt a bit of shock at the title 'love'.

_Ah, I wish. If he only knew the whole truth about that story._

As the memories flooded back to the front of her thoughts, she halted at her favorite part. Her lips tingled even at the recollection. Sure, she had only been saving him from a bad transformation, but he had kissed her back after he had returned to his normal self, right? Sometimes she still wondered if she had imagined him kissing her back.

"_That you act like a bitch!"_

Her chest clenched in pain as those venomous words shot through her reminiscing.

_That's right…he thinks I'm a burden, a waste of his precious time. I mean, I couldn't blame him. I hear walking corpses are all the rage now-a-days. Why date the reincarnation when you can just have the original?_

The words were thought with a bitter edge, and she immediately felt guilty. They had already discussed that, actually, on several occasions. Inuyasha forget Kikyo anymore than he could forget his mother. They had both taken big female roles in his life, and Kagome already knew that it was impossible to expect him to just drop Kikyo's memory. Still…

_I really need to start reading books. Spending my time thinking about Inuyasha's ex-girlfriend, who is supposed to be dead, is not a very healthy thought-pattern. Gosh, what is wrong with me? _

She finally pulled back from her thoughts to listen to where Hojo was in the story. Surprisingly, he had progressed pretty far.

"…The wicked witch, Kaguya, clutched her mirror in a tight grasp, smiling wickedly at the half-demon. 'I know your deepest desires' she purred. His eyes glowed a sinful red and light blue pupils replaced his normally golden ones. His fangs grew in size and he let out an animal-like snarl, his claws sharpening like daggers."

Eri whimpered, leaning against Ayumi. Even Yuka, who had been talking to Katsuo, seemed to have averted her attention to Hojo. She listened, a bit engrossed. Kagome had to admit, he was a pretty good story-teller.

"…Lady Kagome screamed his name, her desperate voice pleading for him to stop the transformation. The young kitsune kit threw a Shikon shard at her body, giving her the strength the yank free of her bondages. The young priestess ran toward her love, throwing her arms around his waist."

Kagome couldn't help the blush that threatened the rise to her cheeks. Ah, yes, he was so close now to telling her most favorite and precious part of the story.

"As she gazed up into his demonic-filled eyes, tears started streaming down her cheeks. His sharp claws dug into her skin, causing blood to seep down her arms. Lady Kagome now knew what she had to do. Slowly, and cautiously, she lifted her face and-"

"She kissed him! She kissed him!" Eri hollered in excitement.

Hojo smirked, nodding and glancing over at Kagome. She didn't meet his eyes, but instead looked out the window again.

Inuyasha couldn't help his eyes widening as he listened. This…this was him and Kagome. This was _their_ first kiss, being told hundreds of years later? And out of all the people who could have told it, Hojo was the one exclaiming and retelling each and every line that had been uttered only a few months ago to him and the girl sitting next to him.

_What is she thinking while hearing this?_ He mentally wondered.

"…he pulled back, clutching the girl close to his chest. 'I'll stay a half-demon, just for you, Kagome.' She nodded, not saying a word and just letting him hold her. There, are you happy? I told the romance part." Hojo rolled his eyes as the girls squealed and bounced up and down.

"Yes, we are so _very_ grateful! Thank you, Hojo!" Eri and Ayumi grabbed him in a hug and he only smiled at their happiness.

"Now, are you ready for the battle scene?"

"Nah, I heard the parts I wanted to." Eri yawned, walking over to Yuka.

"Oh, I'll listen if you want to tell it, Hojo." Ayumi smiled sweetly.

Inuyasha turned his face slightly as to look at Kagome at a better angle. Her back was straight, and she still had a masked expression on her face. He sighed and closed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.

_Tonight. I'll tell her tonight when we stop at the hotel. I'll…I'll apologize._

Even though the thought of apologizing made him cringe, and he valued his pride over everything in the world, he valued Kagome more.


	24. Chapter TwentyFour

**~Chapter Twenty-Four~**

The hotel was nice, probably even nicer than the last one. Kagome grabbed the keys from Yuka and descended the stairs silently. She seemed annoyed that the girls were banishing her to a room alone with Inuyasha again.

Yuka shot a look at Inuyasha before heading off to her own room with Eri and Ayumi. The look said 'You have your chance tonight to make amends, don't blow it'. He grunted and followed the ebony-haired girl into their room.

It was beautiful, to say the least. A king-sized bed rested in the center of the room and a flat-screen was sitting on a low table a few feet away from it. The walls were painted a warm yellow and there were blossoms etched along in a detailed pattern. There was even a balcony and the bathroom was quite big.

Kagome didn't speak a word to him, but instead grabbed her bag, went into the bathroom, and locked the door. He sighed and walked over to the bed, sitting down. The door had been locked automatically, so he pulled off his hat and relished the feel of cool air touching his sensitive white dog ears. The sun was setting quickly, so he suspected that in about five minutes he would be in human form.

_The new moon…_

Inuyasha closed his eyes, tossing his black leather jacket on a chair in the corner of the room. He pulled off his shirt and tossing it over with the jacket, leaning back against the bed's headboard. Ah, it felt good to take off that damn shirt. He couldn't understand how Katsuo and Hojo could stand wearing the tight materials. He was used to wearing his loose-fitting kimono. It was breezy and never too hot or cold.

He yawned, the light reflecting off of his fangs. The half-demon's moonlight hair fell over his shoulders and spilled onto the pillows. He snorted, already feeling his power slowly seeping away and feeling the hint of emotions touch his mind.

Kagome scrubbed at her hair, trying to let the warm water trickling over her skin calm her down. It was working well, and she could feel her body un-winding and her thoughts relaxing. Taking a shower was not quite as soothing as taking a bath at home, but it still felt good. She stopped when she was done; standing in the stall and just letting droplets fall off her bangs and join the puddle at her feet.

_Inuyasha…_

She closed her eyes, furrowing her brow. Why was it that he was _always_ occupying her mind?

The young girl turned the faucet after a few moments, wringing out her hair. She grabbed a towel off the rack and stepped out of the stall, tightly wrapping it around her. Kagome stared at her reflection in the mirror as the blow-drier whipped her hair around her face.

_I don't understand him at all sometimes. Most of the time, I think I do, but then he goes and does something that shocks me. Ugh…maybe I should listen to the girls and go find another guy to follow around…_

Even as she thought it, she knew that she could never truly mean it. After all, you can't easily break off contact with someone that you were fighting demons with and that you had grown feelings for.

Kagome put down the blow-drier after a moment and quickly dressed in her pajamas. She gripped the door-knob in her hand, taking a deep breath, and then opened it. As she walked into the main room, her eyes widened.

He was stunning. Inuyasha's eyes were closed, and his charcoal-colored hair framed his oval-shaped face. The dog ears that normally rested on his head were gone, vanished like they had never been there to begin with. She swallowed as her eyes followed a trail downward, realizing that he was shirt-less. For what reason, she wasn't sure, but she immediately flushed.

His eyes slowly opened lazily, meeting hers. She blinked a few times and took a step back, un-sure. His deep brown eyes held hers with an amused expression.

"You are staring at me…again."

Kagome lifted her hand to tuck some hair behind her ear. She dropped her pile of dirty clothes over in the corner with his shirt and jacket. The – now human – boy's eyes followed her every movement.

"I…erm…was just curious as to why you didn't mention what tonight was."

"Would you have cared?"

His tone was emotionless, almost bored. She pursed her lips.

"Of course I would. I need to know these things when I'm with you."

He rolled his eyes, averting them to the blank-screened TV. She walked over slowly, pulling herself onto the bed and crawling over.

"Are you still angry with me?"

"I'm…hurt. I'm not angry anymore."

He quickly jerked his head to the side to look at her. His expression was so intense that it made her catch her breath.

"Kagome…I'm…erm…sorry."

She blinked.

_Did he just…__**apologize**__?_

Inuyasha's dark eyes softened, surprising her to no end.

"I shouldn't have said those words…and I'm truly sorry for hurting you. I, being your guardian, should never make you worry about being hurt by me of all people. Please, please forgive me."

Kagome's heart stuttered as he spoke. Inuyasha **never** apologized, let alone talked with so much emotion.

_It must be his now prominent human emotions._ She realized.

"It's okay. I…I forgive you. I'm sorry for yelling at you, too. I should realize by now that you aren't from my world and I shouldn't expect you to act like you are."

His hands shot up to grab hers and he closed his eyes. She gulped, her pulse quickening at his touch.

_Holy crow, déjà vu! This is the same exact thing that Koga does…_

"I vow to try my best to not cause you pain for the rest of the trip."

"T-thank y-you…"

Her face was heated and she resisted the urge to pull her hands away out of embarrassment. It wasn't like she wasn't enjoying this, for she feverishly was. But it was so…_not_ Inuyasha.


	25. Chapter TwentyFive

**Hello, again! Aye, this is probably one of my longer chapters. I really wanted to write a fluffy one, and all of you can lay the blame on my choir teacher for making me watch 'The Phantom of the Opera'. XD Haha, I watched that stupid guy 'Raoul', and the first thought in my head and flying out of my mouth was, "HOJO!" I just found it rather funny that I thought of Inuyasha in the middle of an opera movie =3 Now I know I'm an anime-nutty. Anywhoo, I want to ask all of you for your opinions. You don't have to participate if you don't want to, but, here it is.**

**Team Phantom or Team Raoul? XD I know, it's a idiotic question, but hey, I'm an idiot myself. Let me know if you have actually seen the movie and have an opinion. No, this isn't me wanting to point and yell. I'm merely curious and right now I'm feeling tired and mostly in a good mood. Anyway, Ja ne~**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

~Chapter Twenty-Five~

Inuyasha softly held onto the girl's hands, staring into her eyes. Waves of emotion were sweeping over him, flooding his body. He was finding it hard to think, considering that these new feelings were so strongly drugging his thoughts.

_It makes sense, though. I mean, I'm not used to feeling these human side-effects. Being half-demon not only means having a high pain-tolerance. It also means that I barely feel emotions. _

He grimaced, trying to control himself. Even though his sense of smell was severely dulled, and he couldn't catch scents sharply, Kagome's scent was still intoxicating. It made his head spin even worse with the ache of the emotions added on.

His eyes flickered down to her hands and he felt his chest tighten. Her skin was so darn soft. He quickly resisted the urge to raise it to his face.

"Inuyasha, w-what are you d-doing?"

He was surprised to notice a blush crawling up her cheeks. The half-demon's pulse spiked as she pulled her hand away to lift it to his forehead.

"Are you feeling alright? Your face is all red."

"You're one to talk." He whispered.

Damn it. His mouth was starting to move of its own accord as well. Her amazingly soft hand brushed the bangs out of his face. And then she did something that he would never be able to get out of his head unless he stabbed himself with a hot poker. Kagome pulled herself up onto her knees and pressed her warm lips to his forehead.

Inuyasha's dark brown eyes widened and he swallowed, feeling his heart pound in his chest. The feel of her tempting pink lips brushing over his skin was like fire. It tingled at the touch and heat spread through his face. He clenched a blanket in his fist, struggling to gain control over the raging war of emotions and hormones in his body.

_This is why I don't want to be human. Hell, who has to worry about demons? I mean, they are far easier to take care of than feelings are. Damn, I feel like my veins are rushing with something. Ugh…like I'm drunk on sake._

He gulped, realizing that Kagome had pulled back and was intently scrutinizing his face.

"You don't feel hot, but you are acting rather odd. Hmm…are you hungry?"

_Why would I be hungry? Feh, she doesn't realize what her presence is doing to me. I need to distance myself from her tonight. When I kiss her, I want to be in my half-demon form. That way it'll be __**me**__ kissing her and not my human blood._

Inuyasha pushed her away, standing. He ran a hand through his midnight hair, trying to clear his head. It wasn't easy. The boy glanced over at her. She had her legs spread in opposite directions on either side of her and she was in a sitting position. Kagome stared back at him with her head tilted to the side and concern filling her chocolate eyes. He jerked his eyes away from her as another wave of emotion hit him.

"I…erm…am going to get a drink."

He strode toward the bathroom door and walked in, closing the door behind him and locking it. Inuyasha leaned his back against the door, sliding down to the tile floor.

Kagome furrowed her brow, confused. What had just occurred? His face had flushed as he stared at hers, and after she kissed his forehead to see if he had a temperature, he seemed to go weird. He just got up and walked off with a nervous air about him.

_I wonder…oh, no! Did I make him uncomfortable? Oh, maybe he is mad at me because the only girl to ever do that was Kikyo…or his mother…maybe I've offended him!_

Kagome felt dread leek into her. The last thing she ever wanted was Inuyasha to dislike her. What if she had crossed a line? Panicked, Kagome did the first thing that came to mind. She swallowed and stood up, walking over to the bathroom door. She knocked timidly, mentally preparing herself in case he yelled at her in aggravation.

Instead, she was met with silence. For some reason that only worried her more.

"I-Inuyasha? I'm so sorry if I made you uncomfortable. P-please d-don't be mad or offended by me."

She leaned forward until her forehead lightly touched the wood of the door. Her breath came out in gentle puffs and she closed her eyes.

_Inuyasha…I didn't mean to do anything that might have brought back painful memories for you…_

She stood there for what seemed hours, though she knew it was only minutes. She felt tears well-up in her eyes. Kagome couldn't hold back a sniffle as one rolled down her cheek.

"Inuyasha…I'm sorry. I know it must…hurt…I'm so sorry."

_I'm so stupid! Here I am blubbering in front of the bathroom. Ugh, how could I be so thoughtless! I…I made him uncomfortable, and I might have even made him remember painful memories of Kikyo. I'm such a baka!_

Suddenly there was a rustling on the other side of the door. Kagome blinked a few times as the door in front of her slowly opened. Inuyasha stared at her, his eyes full of unease and a softness that she hadn't seen before. He stepped towards her, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her against his chest.

Kagome felt surprised at the sudden action. After all, she didn't deserve to be held like this, after making him feel like that a few moments ago.

"I'm sorry!" She cried, trying to pull back.

The boy grunted, not letting her move. Even though he was in human form, he was still much stronger than her.

"Kagome, why are _you_ apologizing? I'm the one that made you cry."

"You didn't _make_ me cry! I…I shouldn't have made you feel uncomfortable like that. I'm sor-"

"Number one: If you say 'I'm sorry' one more time, I'm going to punish you. Now, Number two: You didn't make me feel uncomfortable. What are you rambling about?"

Kagome buried her face in his chest, trying to calm herself. She still felt a little bad.

"When I kissed you on your forehead to check your temperature, didn't I make you uncomfortable by bringing back memories of Kikyo?"

Inuyasha furrowed his brow, sighing heavily. He wrapped his arms around her, tucking her soft head under his chin.

"You read into things too much. Kagome, why would that make me think of Kikyo? No, that wasn't the problem."

"Then what was the problem?"

"Kagome, there was _no_ problem! The thing wasn't that there was something wrong, but more like there was something right. I was…uh…thinking about _you_ too much. Not Kikyo."

"Erm…I don't understand what you're saying."

"You are you, Kagome. I will never be able to think of you as anyone else. Your face belongs to you and always will."

The girl paused, curling her arms around his middle. He closed his eyes, breathing in her scent. She felt so warm.

"T-thank you…Inuyasha…"

The young hanyou held her quietly, neither one willing to move. When they finally did pull back, both were a little embarrassed. Kagome was flushing silently and looking down.

"Are you going to bathe?"

"Bathe? Oh, like when Miroku and I swim in the hot-springs?"

"Y-yes, well, I'll bring you some clean clothes and then you can do that. I'll go ahead and head to bed after that."

Inuyasha watched as she briskly exited, and he raised an eyebrow. They had just had what Sango would have called 'a moment'…right? Yet a bright pink was staining Kagome's cheeks and she wasn't meeting his eyes. Was that a good or bad sign?

He decided to dismiss it for now and think on it again later. Thinking too much made his brain hurt.

As Kagome came back, handing him a bundle of clean-smelling clothes, he caught her eyes for a moment and flashed a rare-seen smile. The girl's already flushed face deepened in color and she quickly looked away. He blinked a few times, taken-aback and not sure exactly if that reaction was a bad thing.

She mumbled a 'goodnight' to him and closed the door behind her, leaving him standing alone in the bathroom, staring at the door and blinking soundlessly. Girls were so confusing.

* * *

The clothes proved to be rather comfortable, cozy and fitting perfectly. They were a two-piece red PJ set with little white dogs adorning them. He rolled his eyes at that, positive that Kagome picked them out at the store with a silly grin on her face.

He walked out into the dark room, stumbling a few times as he found his way to the bed. He cursed being human. After all, he hated the loss of amazingly keen senses and now he couldn't see in the dark, either. He felt around and found the bed's soft blankets. Inuyasha crawled up onto the bed, pulling the blankets back and slipping inside them. The small and warm body that he sensed beside him wasn't at all surprising, and matter-of-fact, it comforted him in a territorial sort of way.

Inuyasha very gently snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her against his chest and burying his nose in her hair. Oh, she smelled amazing! It wasn't just from the bath she had taken, either. The girl had a naturally luscious scent about her. Inuyasha closed his eyes, drifting off slowly.


	26. Chapter TwentySix

**Hey! Sorry it took me a bit to upload. I had to babysit my adorable cousins (both girls and under four) and my hands had to be taking care of them instead of the keyboard. T.T Besides that, this is my most active story on here, so I've been neglecting my other stuff. Please forgive me for my absence and be assured that I haven't died or forgotten all of you! Btw, thanks for all of the loyal reviews! They really inspire me and keep my fingers on the keyboard. I'm planning on there being another interview after three more chapters. If you want to be in the next interview, PM me and I'll go ahead and put you in there. ASAP, though because I need to start making plans. So, Ja ne~**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

~ Chapter Twenty-Six ~

Light shone in through the curtains, and in the distance Kagome could hear a sweet chiming. It sounded almost like music. She yawned, blinking a few times and snuggling into the covers. She glanced at the clock on the side-table.

_6:23_ _a.m._

Kagome sighed lightly. The sun was just starting to rise. She rolled over carefully, smiling as Inuyasha groaned. He was sleeping deeply, something he didn't do often. She wasn't sure if it was because of the fact that he was still in human form or not. Midnight hair fell over his shoulders, pooling on the pillow. His breathing was even and his face had a peaceful expression.

_He looks so adorable._ She mused.

The young priestess sighed and started to lift herself up. The arm that was around her waist pulled her down and she huffed. He was still sleeping, or so she thought. Kagome gently tried to pull his arm off her waist, trying not to disturb his slumber. Instead of the successful escape she had been hoping for, he pulled her up against his chest, his arm firmly holding her in place.

_Ugh, I wish he didn't sleep so deeply sometimes._

She wiggled in his grasp, her lips pursed. She grabbed onto his arm and pulled, her chest rising and falling with the effort. He wasn't budging, though.

"Inuyasha…wake up!" She finally hollered.

The light streaming in got brighter and Kagome's breath hitched in her throat as his transformation took place. Snowy white slowly flooded over his hair and two soft dog ears emerged from his head. His nails sharpened and lengthened and she watched with awe as his complexion became smoother.

"Inuyasha…"

Blood seeped into her cheeks as she stared at him. He looked breath-taking, as always. She glanced down at her thin nightgown and her blush brightened. Kagome pushed at his chest, trying to get him to release her. Instead his grip tightened and she let out an exasperated sigh.

Her eyes flickered up to his face and she couldn't help her gaze lingering on his lips for a moment. They were parted slightly and a light snore vibrated from his chest.

_Maybe…I'm sure he wouldn't know. After all, he is asleep pretty deeply, right?_

Her eyes fixed on his mouth, her heart fluttering as his breath tickled her face. Even the memory of touching them made her pulse spike. Kagome took in an unsteady breath, closing her eyes. She cautiously leaned forward, her lips inches from his.

_He won't know…I'm sure he won't._

His warm breath came out in puffs against her cheeks. Kagome breathed in his heady pine scent, her heart stuttering. He was so close now.

_Inuyasha…_

She inhaled deeply one more time. Her lips lightly brushed over his and electricity sparked across her skin. Kagome gasped at the surprising reaction. Before she could pull back, a hand reached up to gently tangle in her hair. Her face was slowly pushed towards his and she let out a surprised squeak as Inuyasha covered her lips with his own. Kagome felt her body go limp as his mouth slowly moved against hers.

After a moment of shock, she closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his warm breath mingling with hers. His lips were soft and urgent, gently stirring the butterflies that were already in her stomach. She could feel his fangs lightly brushing over her bottom lip, but this only seemed to make the kiss even more exciting. Kagome sighed contently as his fingers brushed along her arm.

Inuyasha was still before she was. She opened her eyes slowly, confusion and awe in their chocolate depths. The golden in his eyes were smoldering, alight with some sort of exhilaration. She furrowed her brow, her lips still tingling from his touch.

"I-Inuyasha…you…just…"

His eyes grew soft and he smiled faintly. His ears twitched as her pulse quickened.

"I am in love with you, Kagome."

She blushed, her eyes widening.

"You…you love me? But I thought you loved Kikyo."

"She is dead, but you are here. I want you."

His arms curled around her middle, pulling her even tighter against him. Kagome exhaled softly, a smile tugging on her lips.

"Kagome? Kagome!? Hey, wake up!"

"I'm already awake." She sighed.

"Obviously not, or we wouldn't be telling you to!"

"Wait, who is _we_?"

Kagome jolted upright, her eyes flickering open. She squinted as the morning light blinded her. Yuka grinned at her, holding clothes in her hands.

"It is morning, and I don't approve of you sleeping in when we have a long drive ahead of us!"

"Where is Inuyasha?" She frowned when she noticed the bed empty except for her own presence.

_ It was all a dream? Ugh..._

"Oh, he is downstairs talking with Katsuo. Why? Did you not sleep well?"

Kagome grimaced as Yuka pulled her out of bed. Eri helped her undress.

_Actually, I think I had too nice of a dream. Man, it seemed so real…_

"No, I slept well. What about you?"

Her friends smiled, Yuka sporting an adorable tank-top, jean jacket, and shorts. Eri was wearing a simple blue sundress and her hair was pulled back in a bow.

"I slept fine, but I Hojo woke me up this morning. He was knocking on my door with blood trickling down his chin from his nose. I tried to ask him what happened but he wouldn't give me a straight answer."

Kagome raised an eyebrow, her thoughts immediately bouncing back to Inuyasha.

"Huh…"

"Well, we better hurry downstairs for breakfast. The boys might break into a fight without us there."


	27. Chapter TwentySeven

**~ Chapter Twenty-Seven ~**

The scents of breakfast wafted through the air, and Kagome could practically see the fumes. Her feet flew down the stairs with Yuka and Eri on her heels. After being dressed in an outfit of a white blouse and Capri bottoms, she had preceded to ask Yuka about Hojo and his condition.

"Like I said, he arrived at my door with a bleeding nose and short sentences. He wouldn't give me a straight answer, and I got really mad. Though he did look rather flushed…" She had recalled.

Kagome pondered on this while she walked downstairs with her friends. Yuka wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to her side, a comforting smile on her face. She could see the stress on Kagome's face, and it worried her. Considering that Yuka was always the bold, loud, mischievous, and leader type, this was rare for her. She only offered smiles like this one to Kagome and her other two best friends, so it was a special sight. The young priestess responded with a bright smile of her own, and put an arm around Yuka's shoulders as well.

Upon emerging into the dining area, Yuka's previous words proved true. Indeed, the boys _were_ eating, and on top of that, Inuyasha seemed to be in a serious conversation with Katsuo. He was leaning forward in his chair, his brow furrowed and speaking in hushed tones. Kagome watched with curiosity, not quite sure why he would be trying to be quiet when they hadn't even been in the room.

Both of the boys immediately leaned back in their chairs as the girls entered. Katsuo had his shades sitting on the top of his head, his blond hair falling in his face. Blue eyes scrutinized the females as they approached.

"Good morning, lovely ladies!" Katsuo grinned.

"Spare me the sucking up," Yuka yawned, "Just hand me that bagel on your plate and I'll leave you alone for an hour."

It had become a well-known fact on the bus that Yuka had a routine. Every morning she would stand behind Katsuo while he was driving, arguing about the routes and roads they would take. It especially became uncomfortable when she would raise her voice and start yelling at him, pointing her finger and hollering about sexist opinions. Katsuo, being the ladies' man that he was, was rather disappointed when he discovered that his charms didn't affect her in the slightest.

And so, it only made sense that he would seriously deliberate over whether he wanted to listen to Yuka's ranting for an hour or sacrifice the last bagel in the building. He finally chose the latter.

"So, did you sleep well?" He asked in a forced-happy tone.

It was obvious that he was trying to ignore Yuka as she smacked her lips dramatically and downed the bagel in big bites. She only grinned at his irritation. He directed his eyes at Kagome, listening all too intently for her answer.

"Yeah…I…erm…did. What about you?"

"I slept well; though, I'm afraid our dear Hojo had another incident."

Inuyasha glowered at the blond as Kagome turned to look at Hojo. He had just talked to him about what had happened, and yet he couldn't resist but bring it up.

"Oh, Hojo, are you alright?" Kagome blurted in an over-concerned voice.

"I'm…ugh…fine." The punching bag responded.

Inuyasha huffed and crossed his arms, his eyes set on the aggravating human. The night before had been quite nice in his opinion, that was, until Hojo decided to visit their room. The half-demon had left the room for a moment to use the bathroom, and when he came back, Hojo was standing outside the door with one hand enclosing the doorknob and turning it.

"_What the hell are you doing here?" _Inuyasha had growled at him.

"_Oh! Ugh…what are you…I was just coming to visit Kagome."_

"_You decided to stop by for a chat at __**two**__ in the morning?"_

The boy had stuttered a bit, huffing and pulling back his hand from the door. It was obvious that he had been caught trying to sneak in while Inuyasha was gone for a few minutes. It was also a lucky thing that the hall was so dark, otherwise Hojo might have noticed that the half-demon's hair was pitch-black.

And so, without waiting for the butt-wipe to open his mouth and let out excuses, Inuyasha did the first thing that came to mind. As his knuckles contacted Hojo's already-sensitive nose, the yelp echoed down the hall. He was surprised that it hadn't woken Kagome.

"Hey, what happened to your nose, anyway?" Kagome whispered, gently touching his re-bandaged face.

"Nothing." He answered a bit too quickly.

Before she could pry for answers, Yuka pulled out the map of Japan, laying it out on the table and placing her hands on her hips.

"Alright, everyone, we have a heading!"

Eri and Ayumi quickly ran over to the table, trays in hand. They sat down, observing the map. Yuka raised her voice, ignoring the stares from other guests in the dining room.

"The band is stopping at a carnival today in a town near here. So, we are going to be getting our butts over there ASAP and getting front seats," She glanced at Inuyasha, "And we will _not_ be damaging anymore music equipment. Hopefully they don't recognize you."

Kagome sat down in an empty seat beside Inuyasha. A slight blush stained her cheeks as she met his eyes, recollection of her dream filling her mind.

"So, I suggest you all grab your stuff and head out to the bus. We need to go _now_!"

Everyone jumped at the tone of Yuka's voice. Yuka watched with satisfaction as the group ran up the stairs, tripping as they raced up the steps.

"Hey," Kagome whispered as she grabbed Inuyasha by the shirt, pulling him to the side, "Why _did_ you do that at the concert?"

He grimaced at her grip, "The sounds were hurting my ears."

Sudden understanding lit her chocolate eyes. Kagome smiled brightly, an idea coming to her.

"Alright, we'll take care of that, then. I think I have some earmuffs that will work."

Inuyasha blinked in confusion. Finally he just sighed and let her lead him down the hall.


	28. Chapter TwentyEight

**Hey, everybody! I AM SO SORRY!! I know I was gone for a while - three days, was it? - but I have good reasons! The first day I had a choir concert that night, the second day I went to a senior prom that night, and I had left for the whole day on the third. So, you see, I didn't ignore you all! My apologies anywhoo! I love you all and thank you, as always, for the wonderful and encouraging reviews! They keep me inspired and my fingers itching to type and please.**

**P.S. I'm still open to ideas! I absolutely love your opinions and am 100% happy to listen to them. I know I'm not the best writer on fanfiction, but I still try my best! I love you all so much! .**

* * *

**~ Chapter Twenty-Eight ~**

The ride to the carnival wasn't the worst experience Inuyasha had been through, though it wasn't the best, either. Actually, he found it rather irritating and tedious. The girls bounced up and down the bus' aisle, giggling and chattering over the carnival and their personal experiences at such places. Inuyasha actually didn't really know what a 'carnival' was, but Kagome had tried to explain while they were carrying the bags back to the bus. She had said that it was like a festival, only livelier – if that was possible – and filled with entertaining booths and tons of food. The mentioning of food was all it took to shut back all complaints that rose in his throat.

He couldn't help but wonder what sorts of food would be there. He was actually starting to become comfortable with the fuzzy and soft earmuffs on his head. Kagome said that if anyone asked about why he was wearing them, he was to simply reply, "Global Warming" and walk away. Whatever that meant he wasn't sure.

"We have to go on the _Falling Fury_ ride! One of my friends back in Tokyo said that it was mind-blowing!"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, his golden eyes on Ayumi as she gushed. Kagome nodded fervently, seeming excited by this idea. In the front Katsuo was uttering curse words under his breath while Yuka ranted at him. At least she had kept her word for an hour…

"…I don't care if those guys pointed to the right, I say go to the _left_!"

"And I say that you should be quiet and let me drive." Katsuo retorted with a surprisingly calm voice. It was obvious he was struggling, though.

Yuka placed a hand on her hip and pursed her lips. She didn't look very happy, but from the expression on Katsuo's face, neither did he.

Inuyasha exhaled slowly and looked over at the girls. Eri was talking about the rides she wanted to try and Ayumi was sighing wistfully. Kagome just stared out the window. This would be entertaining, he hoped. Inuyasha closed his eyes, yawning widely. To his astonishment, he felt something poking his fangs. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times as a deep swirling chocolate with soft black framing filled his vision.

The half-demon pulled back slightly and realized that the 'chocolate with black framing' was in fact Kagome's eyes. She smiled, her finger held in front of her. He suddenly realized that it was her finger that had been poking his fangs.

"What are you doing?" He huffed.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I was wondering what they felt like."

"Then poke at a cat's mouth. And why on earth are you sitting so close?"

Kagome's bottom lip pushed out to form an adorable pout. She leaned back a bit, letting her hand fall to her side.

"I'm sorry. I just…erm…"

Suddenly honks ripped through the air and they both looked up. Katsuo turned to look over his shoulder.

"Well, the good news is that we are parked. The bad news is that it will be difficult getting out of traffic later."

The girls giggled, running to the front and exclaiming.

"Oh, that's alright!"

"Thank you, Kat!"

"Please go on the Ferris Wheel with me!"

Inuyasha sighed, pulling the rim of his baseball cap down tighter on his head. As they got off the bus, everyone was grinning and talking. Kagome was especially talkative as she grabbed onto Inuyasha's arm while they walked. He rolled his eyes; after all, he had gotten used to her irritating traits as well.

Katsuo and Yuka walked at the front of the group, quiet and seemingly content in being so. The boy stretched his arms over his head, one slowly edging down and around Yuka's shoulder. She shrugged it off, quickening her pace. Eri and Ayumi giggled as Katsuo sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Luckily, and as they had originally hoped, people were buying tickets at booths at the front. Kagome pulled out some yen, handing it to the man sitting behind the glass. He slid two tickets through the slot and she grinned at Inuyasha, tugging him through the gate.

His eyes widened at the sights before them. It was close to afternoon now, and yet the place was over-flowing with crowds. Scents over-whelmed his nose and he couldn't help but cringe at all of them. It was hard to inspect each and every scent, sifting through them and learning them, when there were just _so_ many!

"Kagome, where are the others going?" He blinked, looking over his shoulder as his priestess led him by the hand.

"The concert-thingy isn't starting for another hour. So, we have time to spend," She closed her eyes, smiling sweetly at him, "Why don't we spend it together?"

He couldn't help the blush the crept into his cheeks. The expression on her face was just so endearing and sincere.

"Kagome…nnn…o-okay…"

Her fingers intertwined through his, sending electric sparks along the skin that brushed against hers. He drew in a sharp breath, averting his gaze to the stalls around them. He had barely noticed that she had led them pretty far.

"Where are we going exactly?"

"Well, I _did_ promise you ramen, didn't I?"

Inuyasha's eyes lit up at the word, and a rare smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"We are going to eat _ramen_!?"

The girl laughed, nodding. She led him down the aisle, not failing to notice that he followed eagerly now. Finally she stopped at a stall, offering a polite smile at the man.

"I would like to order some ramen."

"What kind would you like?"

Kagome ordered, pulling out more money. Inuyasha was practically hopping up and down; he was **that** excited. She couldn't hold back a laugh. After a few minutes the man handed her a bowl, and she then turned around and handed it to the hanyou. The two walked over to a bench, sitting down.

"You must really like ramen." The girl stifled another giggle as he began sucking at the noodles.

He nodded, his golden orbs alight.

_He reminds me of a kid in a candy store._ She mused.

She sat there for a few minutes, watching him with curiosity as he ate. He was just so naïve about her world; it made her want to show him everything. His reactions to the everyday things she lived with always made her smile. She suddenly got a whim to start showing him things.

Inuyasha was always more than willing to carry her and introduce her to things in his world; she wished she could return the favor. The problem was that he didn't spend very much time in _her_ world, though. She spent days on end in his, but he rarely came to hers except for coming to get her and bring her back down the well. Kagome suddenly felt guilt sting in her gut.

_He has been here for a few days now, and yet all I've been doing is complaining about him. I should be enjoying this time I have with him and be taking advantage of it. I want to show him everything!_

"AHHH! That's the stuff that burns my tongue!"

Kagome jumped, pulled violently from her thoughts. She followed his gaze, and realized that he was staring with horror at a stall. It was a food stall, curry to be exact.

"Inuyasha, that's only curry! It tastes delicious!"

"Maybe, but it burns like _hell_!" He growled, though his eyes were tinged with fright.

She sighed, taking the empty ramen bowl from his hands. After tossing it in the trash, she grabbed onto his hand, dragging him off again.

"Where are we going now?" He grunted.

"I want to play some games!"


	29. Chapter TwentyNine

**Hey, everyone! OMG, I'm SO sorry for my absence, though I have a good excuse! May 3rd was my birthday, so I spent that night with my mom and puppy. Then the next day I got grounded for the week (I know, feel free to laugh at my ignorance) and then this weekend I lost my dog. He was my best friend and my sweet baby, so it's been hard to come up with inspiration to write over the last two days. So, I hope all of you understand and forgive me. Please keep reading, and I promise I'll try to keep updating continually! I think I'll take a night to mourn over my loss, and I hope all of you will sympathize with me. So, here is chapter Twenty-Nine, and thanks again for your support!**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

**~Chapter Twenty-Nine~**

When a girl wants to play games at a carnival, one would think that she would get tired quickly or want to be with her friends. But much to Inuyasha's surprise, Kagome wasn't satisfied unless he was there with her at every booth and every game. His favorite was a tall thingy, and the man handed him a huge hammer. Kagome bounced up and down, encouraging him to hit the dinger as hard as he could.

He eagerly complied, slamming the hammer down so hard that the 'thingy' shook and the wood on the hammer's handle splintered. The ding was so loud that many heads turned to gawk. He only smirked, grabbing the stuffed bear from the stunned man and handed it to Kagome. She snuggled the white bear, smiling brightly at him.

He had to admit, Kagome was surprising him with her enthusiasm. Sure, she was almost always excited and bouncy at festival and banquet things, but for some reason she seemed especially keen to show him every booth there was. When they stopped at the 'cotton candy machine' – as she dubbed it – the woman handed them a cone with puffy pink stuff sticking to it in a rolled up mass. He watched with curiosity as Kagome picked off a piece, sticking it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up and she giggled with excitement.

"Here!"

Before Inuyasha could say another word, she pulled off another fluffy piece and pushed it into his mouth. The moment it touched his tongue, all thoughts evaporated. It melted with a sweet ecstasy that made his eyes widen. The flavor was indescribably delicious! He blinked a few times as Kagome slowly pulled her finger from his mouth. He realized, with surprise, that a slight pink stained her cheeks and she looked back at the 'cotton candy'.

"I want another piece!" He blurted, reaching for it.

She smacked away his hand, pulling off a piece and then handing it to him, seemingly over her sudden lapse of composure. He rolled his eyes and then took it, immediately sticking it in his mouth and reveling in the sticky sweetness.

They walked from stall to stall, Inuyasha depleting the cotton candy rather quickly. Kagome showed him just about everything, taking the time to stop and point, her chocolate eyes alight and full of enchantment. He stared at her for a moment as they walked. She was swinging a shopping bag in front of her, a happy smile playing on her lips. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, stopping as she noticed him staring at her.

"Is there something wrong?" She asked softly, turning to face him.

The hanyou clenched his jaw, a little embarrassed at being caught. He quickly looked away, crossing his arms and sorely missing his kimono right then. Kagome blinked a few times.

"No, I just…erm…forget it." He growled.

She sighed, turning back forward and starting to walk again. She wasn't surprised; after all, she was used to this Inuyasha. He was always like this, but she still enjoyed that lately he had been opening up to her more. She stopped again, a smile creeping over her face.

"Oh, Inuyasha! Look, a funhouse!"

He raised an eyebrow, confused and not understanding the new word, but looking in the direction she was pointing. It was a building-looking thing, erected to a tall height and had brightly painted words on the front. Before he could open his mouth to inquire as to what exactly a 'funhouse' was, Kagome grabbed his hand, her fingers intertwining through his as she tugged him along.

They slipped through the entrance, well, Kagome practically _dragged_ him through. It was dimly lit inside, mirrors lining the walls on both of their sides. They were surprisingly alone in this first hallway, and Inuyasha was still trying to figure out what was so 'fun' about it when suddenly their reflections bounced off of all the mirrors at once. The young boy let out a surprised growl as multiple Inuyasha growled back at him. Their golden eyes glared back at him intensely, and he reached for his sheath, only to see that the others mimicked his action.

"Inuyasha, calm down! They are only your reflection."

"My _what_?"

Kagome smiled sweetly at him, patience in her eyes, "When you look down at water in a river, do you remember how you see yourself in it?"

"Well, yeah, but that's only because it-…_Oh_!"

"Yeah, these are your reflections. Besides, remember my condition!" She gestured to his sheath before slipping her hand back into his and pulling him along.

The two continued through the hall, turning around a corner that appeared. Kagome laughed as the young hanyou stopped, glaring at a picture on the wall. He stepped to the right and then to the left, his movements slow and cautious.

"What is it now?"

"Kagome, wherever I step, the eyes in the painting follow me."

She had to stifle a giggle at his naivety. Sometimes his ignorance of the things in her world made her want to laugh, while at other times it frustrated her. This misunderstanding was innocent enough, though.

"It is science." She sighed tugging at his jacket sleeve.

"What is 'science'?"

"It is…erm…a form of study. If you combine certain elements together, you can learn and create different products," She furrowed her brow, trying to think of a form of science from his time, "Like…potions!"

"Oh…so, what form of science is a 'reflection'?"

"That isn't science, Inuyasha. That is just a law of nature, or a fact."

"I don't understand."

"Uh…gravity?"

"Gravi-what?"

"Never mind."

The floor tilted as they walked into the next room. Inuyasha grunted, pulling Kagome against his chest in one fluid movement, her back facing him. His warm arms wrapped around her middle, holding her loosely against him.

"I don't like this place. It is…odd. Are you sure there are no demons here?"

"I-Inuyasha, stop it! It's just another science-thing!"

Kagome pulled away from his embrace, her cheeks heating up. She swallowed and looked away from him, breathing in slowly, though her heart was pounding. What was wrong with her? In the last few days, just the simplest touch from him had made her pulse race and her face flush. After all, it wasn't like he hadn't grabbed her suddenly before. He was only concerned for her safety in a place that he was unfamiliar with.

What made matters worse was that he didn't realize that his simple actions, such as unconsciously brushing her arm with his fingers, made her react so. If such contact made her heart stutter now, she couldn't imagine how much more intense it would be when they returned to the Feudal Era and he started carrying her on his back and such.

"Kagome? What's wrong? Are you alright?"

"I'm…erm…fine. Let's keep going."

They continued walking, her explaining the science of the floors to him while they walked. She talked about the law of perspective and such, and how they affected the eyes and the mind as well. He laughed, comparing it to a kitsune's fox magic. She shrugged, figuring it would be easier for him to think of it that way than to get even further confused.

Kagome was very careful as they walked through the narrow halls, careful as to not touch his skin again. Even though she thought he wouldn't notice it, being as dense as he was, he actually did. Considering the fact that the whole time they had been there so far, she had been holding his hand and touching his arms. He was curious as to the sudden change in her mood, but he shoved it to the back of his mind when they ascended the stairs at the end of the funhouse.

"Wasn't that great?" She beamed, seemingly back to her vibrant mood.

He scrutinized her face for a moment, trying to find any hidden emotions there. After a minute, he finally sighed, shrugging. Kagome looked down at her watch, a smile on her face.

"Oh, look at that! There is twenty minutes left till the concert! Let's head there."

"Fine, whatever."

He scowled, wishing that he had more cotton candy.


	30. Wacky Chappie

**~Wacky Chappie~**

Whitewolfffy: Hey, everyone~ It's time for another break chapter! I know all of you want to keep reading, but we all need a laugh, don't we?

Kagome: Most definitely! Besides, the girls seemed to have a good time stripping Inuyasha last time.

Inuyasha: *groans and squeezes eyes shut* Please don't remind me.

Katsuo: Luckily, alikmionejean bought them off of Ebay and handed them back to Inuyasha! *Katsuo grins and leans back in his chair*

Whitewolfffy: Oh, that's right! I forgot to mention that today we have with us, three of the lovely main cast, Kagome, Inuyasha, and Katsuo! And for guests, we have alikmionejean, Inu'sgirl4ever, Mari605i, and (a new guest, but not a new reviewer) Falintie34!

*All four girls wave at the camera. Inu'sgirl4ever nibbles on a Pocky stick and Falintie34 grins brightly, looking around.*

Whitewolfffy: Before we go further with our wacky on-goings, I would like to make an announcement! I was going to bring HEY BRE I REMEMBER YOUR NAME on here, (aka, HEY BRE) but I think I'll add her on the next one. So, *points to HEY BRE in the audience* expect to be in the cast next time!

Inuyasha: Will you just shut up and get to the torture?

Katsuo: Why? Are you that eager to get glomped by beautiful women, Inuyasha? *grins wickedly and winks* You're a lucky lecher!

Inuyasha: You are calling _me_ a _lecher_!? Man, that's the pot calling the kettle black!

Whitewolfffy: ANYWAY! Okay, so, on this wonderful Wacky Chappie, we shall be doing something different. As it is, I'm going to host a game show!

Mari605i: And what are we playing for? *glances with caution at Whitewolfffy*

Whitewolfffy: Oh, no worries, Mari! The winner gets to…*thinks for a moment while pushing glasses up the bridge of her nose* Erm…well…Kagome! You decide!

Kagome: Alright, the winner gets to spend an hour in a closet with one of the three hotties – Inuyasha, Katsuo, or Sesshoumaru!

Inu'sgirl4ever: Darn, Kagome, you are _really_ generous!

Inuyasha: Don't be so sure. She isn't as nice and innocent as she lets on…

Kagome: SIT BOY!

*the girls snicker and snap pictures as he slams into the carpet. Whitewolfffy sighs and stands up*

Whitewolfffy: Yuka, would you do the honors? (A/N: You didn't actually think I would get rid of Yuka _that_ quickly, did you? ;] )

Yuka: Sure, why not?

*Everyone turns to see Yuka lift curtains in the background and a whole game-show stage is revealed. The girls and cast excitedly take their places and everyone looks at Whitewolfffy*

Whitewolfffy: Welcome one and all to…Inuyasha's Incredible Interview Game!

Inuyasha: If all of those words were meant to start with 'I', you failed epically.

Kagome: SIT BOY!

Whitewolfffy: So, this is how the game is played. I will ask a question about one of the characters in the series, or I will ask about the storyline. There will be two teams! Since there are seven of you, and we can't separate evenly, Yuka will be on one of the teams. Inuyasha, Yuka, alikmionejean, and Inu'sgirl4ever will be on Team Red!

*Inu'sgirl4ever bounces up and down excitedly and runs over to the Red Booth. She wraps her arms around Inuyasha's waist, hugging him tightly. Everyone stares for a moment and Whitewolfffy clears her throat. Inuyasha growls and tries shoving her off. Alikmionejean sighs and pries her off, dragging her over to a different seat at the Booth. The fan girls in the audience glare hotly at her.*

Whitewolfffy: And as you all have already guess, Kagome, Katsuo, Mari605i, and Falintie34 will be on the Green Team!

Falintie34: Hey, Wolfffy? On game shows, isn't the opposite team from Red normally Blue?

Whitewolfffy: Well, Falintie, if you haven't noticed, this is _not_ a normal game show! Besides, Inuyasha's team is red because that is his theme color! Kagome's team is green because that is _her_ theme color! She wears her green/white uniform all through-out the series!

Katsuo: On with the show! I would like a winner to be decided ASAP!

Yuka: Ugh, what a lecher…

Alikmionejean: Is there a particular reason why you placed Yuka and Katsuo on opposite teams, as well as Inuyasha and Kagome?

Whitewolfffy: Erm…why of course! I mean, when couples are competing against each other, things get more interesting!

Yuka: WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING A COUPLE!?

Inu'sgirl4ever: *nibbles on Pocky stick* Let's play! Let's play!

*The audience starts to cheer, and lights flicker over the stage*

Whitewolfffy: Alright, Question One will be answered by the leaders of each team! Kagome and Inuyasha, are you ready?

Kagome: YES!

Inuyasha: Wait…what?

Whitewolfffy: In the beginning of the series, what was the name of the demon that pulled Kagome into the well?

*Kagome hand hits the buzzer*

Kagome: Mistress Centipede!

Whitewolfffy: CORRECT!

Inuyasha: Oh, c'mon! That was _waaaaaay_ too easy!

Whitewolfffy: One point for Green Team! This next question is for Yuka and Katsuo. Who is Katsuo related to?

*Yuka hits the buzzer*

Yuka: Ayumi is his sister, but to be technical, he is actually her _adopted_ brother!

Whitewolfffy: CORRECT! Now, for a bonus point, what is Katsuo's ancestry?

Katsuo: *BUZZ* My ancestry dates back to a famous demon-slaying clan and a line of monks!

*The audience gasps*

Kagome: WHAT!? Are you saying that your great-great-great grandparents were Sango and Miroku??

Katsuo: Erm…yes, in fact that was their first names. Have you been reading into my family line?

Falintie34: STALKER!!! *laughs* Just kidding.

Inuyasha: I just _knew_ he reminded me of Miroku!

Katsuo: What??

Whitewolfffy: ANYWAY! One point for Red Team and two points for Green Team! Well, folks, we are going to have to take a break in the game show! So, we will continue in the next Wacky Chappie! Till then~

Kagome: Bai!~

Inuyasha: Go away and if you know what is good for you, STOP READING!


	31. Chapter Thirty

**~Chapter Thirty~**

The concert, if it counted as one (considering how small it was), was actually quite fun. Inuyasha watched quietly, actually starting to enjoy the music. Fan girls raised their hands in the air, yelling and singing along with the lyrics. It turned out that Kagome's idea for 'earmuffs' actually worked, and he could still hear the music, even though it wasn't quite as loud.

Kagome was able to stand on her own easily now, since her leg had healed almost completely. Katsuo sat in the near back, not listening and hardly paying attention at all. Though, every few minutes Inuyasha would see his deep blue eyes flicker over to Yuka's bouncing form. The three males were sitting on a bench at least a yard away from the 'concert' stage. Hojo was watching, a faint smile on his lips as he watched Kagome sing and jump up and down in excitement.

Inuyasha found himself getting bored rather quickly after the first few minutes, his golden eyes settling on Katsuo. He sat there for a moment, thinking about the things that Katsuo had said to him on the bus. The hanyou realized, quite suddenly, that Katsuo hadn't finished teaching him.

"Hey, you didn't continue teaching me those 'tricks' on how to win Kagome."

The blond boy's eyes flickered over to Inuyasha, a charming smile playing on his lips. He shrugged, his elbows resting behind him on the top of the bench.

"I didn't continue because you didn't ask me to."

"Well, I'm telling you to now."

"You are _telling_ me to? Really, you should learn some manners. No wonder you are still a virgin; no girl wants to sleep with a mouth like that."

Inuyasha glowered at him, exhaling through gritted teeth. This guy was lucky that he didn't know about Kikyo, otherwise Inuyasha probably would have taken it as an insult to her. He clenched his jaw, trying to call upon some of the good 'manners' that Kagome had taught him.

"Will you _please_ teach me some more tricks?" The words felt like acid on his tongue.

"Sure I will, buddy. I mean, what are friends for?"

_Friends like you are the equivalent to a punching bag; no brains and good for smacking._ He mentally huffed.

Katsuo sighed, pushing his shades up the bridge of his nose. A girl a few feet away giggled, turning to whisper to her friend.

"Hmmm….where was I? Ah, yes, I was teaching you proper etiquette when talking to a girl. Well, you quite literally failed with flying colors. Perhaps I'm going about this the wrong way."

"I don't see what you mean…"

"Uh…erm…alright. Do you see those girls over there?"

"Do you mean the ones that are giggling and whispering?"

"Yeah, those ones. Well, do you see how they keep glancing at me and blushing?"

"So, what about it?"

"Well, my dear boy, that is what you call 'infatuation'. Infatuation is just what you need to pull this off."

Inuyasha furrowed his brow, crossing his arms. He didn't understand where Katsuo was going with all of this. Besides, what did this 'infatuation' have to do with Kagome?

"Here, I'll explain in smaller words that you can grasp." The boy sighed after seeing his student's expression.

The girls that were giggling stopped, turning to look at Katsuo for a moment. His shades slid down his nose a bit as he tilted his head, looking at them from over the rims. He shot them an adorable smile, his dimple showing. The red-headed girl gasped, turning bright red and waving her hand at her face as if she couldn't breathe.

"What was that all about?" The young hanyou grumbled.

"That is 'infatuation'. Watch this."

As both men turned to look in the direction of the concert, they spotted Yuka running towards them. Right then Katsuo stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking towards the group of girls. Inuyasha watched closely, still not understanding exactly what was going on.

Katsuo stopped in front of the group, a sly grin on his face. He ran a hand through his sunlight hair, his blue eyes dancing with mischievous intentions. Inuyasha turned for a moment as Yuka stopped in front of him, beaming with excitement and energy. She leaned down to pick up her bottle of water off the ground beside the bench. The girl tilted back the bottle, guzzling the contents down quickly.

"Where is that lecher, now?" She asked, irritation tinting her tone as she looked at the empty seat on the bench.

"He is talking to those girls." Inuyasha gestured to the group of girls and the target of her frustration.

Yuka turned around, holding the half-empty bottle in her hand as she followed the direction he was pointing. Her dark eyes fixed on the group, her lips pursing slightly. Katsuo was standing in the midst of the group, laughing and smiling brightly as the girls around him swooned.

Yuka narrowed her eyes, an unidentifiable emotion in them. Inuyasha swallowed, suddenly recognizing it. It was a mixture of the expression Kagome looked at him with after he had been talking with Kikyo, and the one Sango had on her face when catching Miroku at his womanizing antics. He couldn't help but wonder what Katsuo was up to.

Yuka didn't move, and it seemed the excited energy she normally had was absent for a moment. After a minute or two, Katsuo walked back to their group, tucking little pieces of paper into his pocket. He looked up, apparently not surprised at Yuka's presence.

"Did you come back to get a drink?" He asked with an amused tone in his voice, gesturing to her bottle.

"Yeah, I did," Her eyes flickered down to his pocket and her face seemed to harden, "Having fun with numbers?"

"Actually, yes, thank you."

She glared at him for a moment before turning around, walking back to the concert with an edge in her step. It was obvious that she was annoyed.

"I don't get it. What was the point of getting her mad?"

"Ugh, Inuyasha, you really are dense, aren't you? The first step in today's lesson is acting 'cool and collected'. It is also known as the act that makes girls swoon and stare at you. Then, the second step is infatuation! Once you find a girl that is infatuated or 'interested' in you, you use it to your advantage. In your case, you would use it to make Kagome jealous."

"So, in _your_ case, you made Yuka jealous?"

"I…of course not! I mean, I was just showing you how to do it if you did. Besides, if she got jealous then that is her problem. Erm…anyway, jealousy is the fastest way to get Kagome to admit to having feelings for you or wanting you."

"So, if I spend time with another woman, she will become jealous?"

"Yes, that is the theory. And it works almost every time."

Inuyasha felt something light-up in his conscious.

_Kikyo. Whenever Kagome would see me with Kikyo, she would always get this look on her face like Yuka had. Then she would either get mad, like Yuka, or sad…maybe…was she jealous? Is Kagome jealous of Kikyo!?_

For the first time in a long time, Inuyasha felt something that he couldn't explain. But if he had to try to identify it, he would probably call it 'male pride'. Maybe following Katsuo's lessons wouldn't be so bad after all…


	32. Chapter ThirtyOne

**Hello again, my lovlies. Yes, I'm a very bad girl and author. I know, I have been neglecting my stories. I'M SORRY! All I have to say in my defense is that potty-training a new puppy and doing Finals in school is NOT easy! So, to make up for my very badness, I've wrote a little twist into the story to make all of you gasp. Please, tell me what you think, and as always, ENJOY! I love you all so very much, lovlies, and let me know what you think.**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

**~Chapter Thirty-One~**

Time flies when you are having fun, as the saying goes. But what the guy forgot to put in the phrase, was that 'time flies when you are having fun, but it drags on when you aren't'. This little tidbit perfectly applied to Inuyasha while he sat on the bench, bored out of his mind. The concert was done, and Kagome and the other girls were in the bathroom putting on makeup or whatever.

Katsuo was sitting on the bench beside him, rubbing a bright red hand-mark on his cheek. He winced and muttered something along the lines of, "Damn girls don't know when to take a joke." Of course, this seemed to only further prove to the half-demon that the guy was probably related to a certain monk he knew.

Hojo stood a few feet away, talking to two girls and looking at their magazine. He nodded and smiled, conversing over it. The concert turned out well, though he had no interest in going to one again. Inuyasha sighed, looking over his shoulder at the Cotton Candy stall. His nose twitched as the lusciously sweet smell wafted to his nose. He wanted nothing more than to place a fluffy piece in his mouth and savor the melting sensation.

Katsuo seemed to notice his distraction.

"Do you have any yen on you?"

"What…erm…no, I don't. Why?"

"Well, if you want some cotton candy, I don't mind buying some for you."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, surprised at his sudden generosity, "What's the catch?"

"You'll have to get your girlfriend to pay me back."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, grunting. He had expected such things from the guy. Regardless of his lecheries, the half-demon only tolerated him because he needed information on girls. So, for now he only shrugged and stood up, following the fellow male to the stall.

The woman behind the counter smiled at the two boys, handing Katsuo a cone topped off with the gloriously fluffy pink stuff called 'Cotton Candy'. Inuyasha's eyes lit up and he snatched off a piece with his clawed fingers, sticking the delicious fluff in his mouth.

Katsuo offered the lady a charming smile, his dimple showing. The girl blushed slightly, fidgeting with her apron. Inuyasha stopped his munching for a moment, raising an eyebrow.

_Is this one of the tactics I've seen him use before on females? _

He couldn't help but wonder for a moment about what Katsuo had mentioned earlier. Was Kagome truly jealous of Kikyo? If so, all he had to do was test her reactions on any other woman.

"Hello." He was hoping it would come out in a smooth tone, but instead it sounded husky.

The woman's eyes flickered to him and she flushed an even deeper crimson. Of course, he had been told many times before in the Feudal Era that he was attractive. Matter-of-fact, he had been even glomped by girls before (that is, on nights of the New Moon when he was near a village). But it never really occurred to him how he looked on the outside until this girl looked at him.

Her heartbeat sped up, her eyes lit-up, and she began to stutter.

"Is th-there anything e-else I c-can get y-you?"

Katsuo grunted with a smile on his face. He shook his head, leading Inuyasha away and over to a nearby tree.

"What were you doing?"

"I was just trying to do what you do. It seemed to work…"

"It worked, my friend. It worked a little too well, if I do say so myself."

Katsuo calmly explained some things to him, laughing at his student's achievement. Ayumi bounced up behind her brother, curling her arms around his waist.

"Hey, Kat! What are you talking to Inu about?"

"Nothing…erm…where are the other two girls?"

Ayumi shrugged, smiling brightly at her brother as she pulled back her arms. She glanced over at Inuyasha, snatching a small piece of pink fluff from his cone.

"Eri is buying a soda and Yuka and Kagome are still by the bathrooms."

"Oh, alright."

The three sat down, Inuyasha grudgingly sharing his cotton candy. Eri joined them a few minutes later. There were still no signs of the other two, but they waited anyway. Inuyasha looked up at the sky, admiring how the clouds were lazily moving by.

It was getting dark quickly, so all of the lights on the rides were lighting up. Inuyasha couldn't help but stare in awe, wishing that Kagome was sitting there to look at them with him. Speaking of which, they were still missing…It had been over an hour, and yet neither of the girls had come back out.

"KATSUO! AYUMI! ERI!" Days later, Inuyasha would look back on that moment and laugh to himself over the fact that Hojo had purposefully left his name out. Even in the middle of his panic.

"What is it!" Eri blinked, looking a little confused at the boy's expression and growing worried herself.

"Kagome…and then Yuka…and then those guys…there was a black van…and they cried…and…I couldn't…"

"Calm down and speak in complete sentences." Katsuo ordered, sounding surprisingly serious.

"Kagome and Yuka have been _kidnapped_!"

Inuyasha stared blankly at the panting and panicked teenager, surprisingly calm. The others started yelling and freaking out, demanding answers to questions that not even Hojo could understand or answer. After all the time he had spent with Kagome in the Feudal Era, there was one thing that he was used to.

Kagome got kidnapped, and it happened quite often.

Sure, this was slowly sinking in and he was becoming angrier as the seconds ticked by, but it was something he had faced before. But unfortunately, this time was different. This time, they were in Kagome's world. This time, he didn't know how to find her. And this time, she wasn't the only one whose life was at stake.

"SHUT UP!" Katsuo roared.

Everyone went silent, tears brimming in the girls' eyes. Hojo looked like he was going to burst into tears at any moment, and Katsuo looked like he wanted to rip someone's head off.

"What exactly did you see?"

"I was talking to these girls near the female facilities. They had this magazine that was about a band that I liked, and apparently, they liked. So, anyway, I went to the parking lot with them to listen to it. Twenty minutes later, I'm walking back to the carnival, when I suddenly see this ominous black van. I mean, it was creepy. There were these guys that were dressed really suspicious and everything. So, I duck behind I car to see what they are doing and suddenly I hear screaming.

And that…that was when I saw them. The creepy leader, he had black shades and messy brown hair, he was dragging Kagome toward the van's doors. I couldn't move; I was just so…so _shocked_! And then it got worse, because then I spotted another dude lugging Yuka toward the doors, too. They were both trying to scream but the guys were smacking them and yelling at them and….and…I just…"

Right then, Hojo _did_ burst into tears. His shoulders shook as he cried, Eri and Ayumi patting him on the back and whispering comforting words to him. A snarl ripped from Inuyasha's throat and he cracked his knuckles.

"YOU MORON! How the hell could you just watch them as they did that? After I save Kagome, I am going to beat the living SHIT out of you, you asshole!"

Katsuo and the girls listened in shock, though after a moment, the familiar anger crept back into Katsuo's blue eyes.

"You're right, Inuyasha. We have to do something. But we need to find out more information on the van."

"Maybe the girls that were listening to the CD with you would have seen it!" Eri piped up, her familiar cheerfulness back in her tone despite the situation.

"Good idea, Eri. Okay, you and Ayumi will go talk to the girls and in the mean time, Inuyasha and I will search the 'crime scene'. Hojo, you take us to where the van was!"


	33. Chapter ThirtyTwo

**~Chapter Thirty-Two~**

Kagome yawned silently, slowly opening one eye. She investigated her surroundings from under her lashes, trying to figure out where she was. All she remembered was a sting in her arm and then, blackness. She now realized that it had been a shot, and the idea of her captors having drugs was more than unsettling.

After a moment of thinking it over, she finally opened her eyes all the way, looking from side to side. She was in a van, a large one with fine leather seats and the 'new-car' smell. There were two people quietly conversing in the front seats, while she was lying down in the back. She could feel a warm body next to her, and suddenly her memories came flooding back to her.

_Yuka._

Kagome turned her head slightly, her deep brown eyes settling on her friend. Her heart sank as she noticed the girl's condition. Yuka was also lying down, unconscious with her hands tied with rope. Kagome grimaced, looking down to discover that she, too, was tied-up.

The young priestess swallowed back her tears, trying to muster up some courage. Her thoughts jumped relentlessly in her brain, panic in her stomach. Finally they came to a halt, the cause of one familiar face.

_Inuyasha will come for me._

A wave of peace and warmth flooded her limbs and her mind fell into an eased state. It was still a wonder to her how the very thought of him effected her. He always came for her, and that was one thing she could always count on. Even in the most hopeless situation, she could always find comfort in knowing that Inuyasha would find and save her.

Now that her brain was calmed and her nerves were at ease, she could focus on thinking clearly. Kagome glanced down at her bound hands, thinking on what she should do.

_First, I'm going to have to figure how to get untied, and while I'm busy with that, perhaps I can listen in on their conversation. If I can figure any clues to where I'm going and why, it might help later on._

* * *

Inuyasha let out a frustrated growl. Katsuo and Hojo were watching him quietly, mostly amused as he crawled around on the cement. To be honest, he didn't have a good excuse for it and even better was the fact that the other two didn't ask questions. Kagome would be happy about that…if she was there. But if she had been there, they wouldn't have been doing what they were doing.

"I can't…I can't seem to get any clues."

"Sniffing doesn't help?" Hojo snickered.

"Shut up, nosey."

Katsuo tried to hold back his laughter, considering that Inuyasha's comment was priceless. He glanced at Hojo's damaged and bandaged nose, a smile on his face.

"Look, the sooner we find the girls the better. Jokes aren't helping us get anywhere." Katsuo sighed after a moment.

The half-demon snorted, popping his knuckles. He was feeling overly-stressed, somewhat panicked, and he definitely wanted to take it out on something. Kagome had been kidnapped, and he couldn't find her. He was stuck in _her_ world, and he had no clue where or even how to look for her. It was driving him close to madness.

_Kagome, I __will__ find you! _

Inuyasha exhaled slowly, his ears perking up as the sound of footsteps approached. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes widening as the girls ran toward them.

"Inuyasha, Hojo, Kat! We talked to the girls!"

"What did they say?"

Eri raised a finger in the air and her voice acquired playful authority, "We talked to the ladies, and they admitted to conversing with subject 'A'…"

"Who is 'subject A'?" Hojo whispered to Ayumi.

"I believe she is referring to you."

"…The girls both said that they saw a black van as they were driving out of the parking lot. It seemed to be speeding away. Furthermore, here is the most important piece of information! The van was seen heading due east."

Inuyasha tensed, seeming ready for action. His eyes were alert and he looked excited now.

"What are we waiting for!"

"Well, let's go get the vehicle!"

Inuyasha shook his head fiercely, his golden eyes alight.

"Don't worry about it. I'll run ahead."

The girls raised their eyebrows and Katsuo ignored it, walking back to the bus. Ayumi placed a hand on his shoulder, concern on her face.

"I know that you are seriously worried right now; we all are worried. It must be hard knowing that you can't get to her and that she must be scared. But just understand that we _will _find her."

The girl smiled sadly and turned around, walking toward the bus. Eri winked at him, grabbing Hojo's hand and heading to the bus as well. Inuyasha pursed his lips, turning around and pushing at the ground, falling into a speeding run. The wind blew his snowy hair back, the mischievous smirk on his face tinting his motivations. It was obvious that he was starting to feel relief.

_I'm on my way, Kagome. I'm coming to get you._


	34. Chapter ThirtyThree

**~Chapter Thirty-Three~**

Kagome held her breath. The van had just stopped, and both she and Yuka were untied from the ropes. She wasn't quite sure where she was, and she most definitely wasn't sure who was driving them. But to make matters worse, the van had stopped. And Inuyasha hadn't found her yet.

She squeezed her eyes closed as the door on the side of the van was pushed open. Some male voices started speaking. One of them sounded like the leader of the men.

"Why the hell did you tie them up!"

"Well, they were fighting us, boss. We had to get them to quit!" One chirped.

"They are unconscious, you idiot."

"Well, yeah, but if they might have waked up, we couldn't be sure if they wouldn't have tried anything to escape…"

There was a pause and then the leader guy sighed, "Yeah, I suppose that's a good reason. Alright, bring them into the lounge."

Kagome felt hands touch her, and instantly she gritted her teeth. They didn't belong to Inuyasha or her Grandfather, so they weren't welcome. She felt uncomfortable letting men touch her, no, _carry_ her.

_Inuyasha, please hurry. I miss you…and I'm scared…_

She was lifted up into someone's arms and she did her best to be limp. It wasn't as easy as she would've expected it to be. After all, when a stranger is touching or carrying you, the last thing you would do is relax.

"Hmmm…she looks just as luscious as the other day. Put her on the couch."

"And as for the other girl?" The voice came from someone a few feet away.

"Just put her on the _Lazy-Boy_ chair."

Kagome kept her breathing even, trying her best to strain her hearing abilities. Since she couldn't look around, she would have to use her other senses. She was sure that Inuyasha would be proud of her.

Suddenly there was something cushy and soft under her and the arms disappeared. After a moment she realized she was being gently laid down on a couch. There was some shuffling to her right and then the sound of footsteps. A creaking sound broke the quiet atmosphere.

"Hey, boss?"

"What is it now?"

"What do we tell anyone who asks about the secretary?"

"What do you think? Tell them she is dead. If they really knew where she went then we would have some trouble."

"Oh, okay then. Jack said that someone asked him, so he needed to know what to say in case someone else asks."

"Okay, now you have an answer. LEAVE!"

There was some more shuffling and footsteps. Kagome swallowed when she heard a door click. The room was now silent, eerily so. It made staying still all the harder. A chill ran up her spine as something lightly brushed her arm. Moist breath tickled her cheek and she resisted the urge to shudder and turn away.

"Mhmm…you feel nice, sweet heart. It really is too bad that you didn't hop in."

_I didn't 'hop in'? Do I know him? And if so, who is he?_

The man chuckled to himself, running a finger idly down the soft skin of her arm. He lifted his hand to brush her cheek and this time, Kagome couldn't control the cringe she responded with.

"Ah, so you are awake? Well, I suppose I'm not surprised. It was only a matter of time till that drug wore off. Matter-of-fact, I timed the dose myself. I knew that you should have been awake…"

Kagome slowly opened her eyes, narrowing them at him. His face only broke into a grin. Apparently, he was sitting on the foot of the couch. She swallowed again.

_Inuyasha…_

"You are absolutely adorable, baby. Just like I remember."

"Who are you and what are you talking about?" She meant it to come out demanding, but instead it came out in a whisper.

"Well, I'm not surprised that you don't recognize me. Traffic jams aren't the best places for meeting people, I suppose."

Suddenly, the pieces clicked together. Now she remembered him. It was the guy in the red car at the traffic jam a few days ago. If memory served, it was the same guy that Inuyasha practically assaulted in the middle of the highway.

"You…you…you are…"

"Yes, yes, I am that man. I also happen to be the manager of the _Black Blossoms_. It is also the same band that you are following on tour, no?"

Kagome blinked several times. Things were starting to get clearer, and while they were, she was getting more frightened at his words.

_Oh, Inuyasha, you always pick the wrong people to pick on…_

The man grinned mischievously, walking over to a desk. He took a seat and then propped his feet up on the fine wood. With his hands clasped on his lap, he actually managed to look business-like.

"So, why did you kidnap Yuka and me?"

"Do you not remember the little incident at the concert a week ago? There were damages to the sound system because of your little boyfriend."

"So, you could have just sent a letter to charge us the expenses. Why would you go to so much trouble? I mean, kidnapping someone is against the law!"

The man laughed, his tenor voice sending shivers down her spine. She suddenly realized that he hadn't taken her for the expenses. No, he had taken her because of the incident at the traffic jam.

"My dear, I went through so much trouble because of the other day. It was very unkind of that boy of yours to grab me like that when all I was doing was giving a pretty girl a compliment."

"You were being suggestive and it made him angry…"

"Oh, just call me Taro, baby."

"Alright, _Mr. Taro_, I still don't understand why you would go through so much trouble just to get back at Inuyasha. He doesn't have money, so he won't pay-"

"Wait, did you say his name was _Inuyasha_? What kind of name is that?"

Kagome swallowed, her chest tightening in pride. She didn't mind yelling at her captures when she knew that Inuyasha would protect her. He wasn't there right then, but when he got there her only fear would be for the health of this 'Taro' guy.

"It's one of a kind. If you think that the other day was bad, you should wait a while longer to see what he does when he is actually mad."

"Oh, I plan on it. Matter-of-fact, I'm going to sit here and wait."

The young priestess blinked, confusion in her eyes, "Wait, you _expected_ him to come?"

"Well, of course I did! What kind boyfriend wouldn't? Not only that, but I've been watching you. All of you. I must say, he does seem certainly _different_."

Kagome felt her heart starting to pound hard in her chest. It was almost painful. This man had been _watching _them? She felt the fear pool in her chest like ice water.

* * *

Inuyasha let out a growl, his feet flying over the cement. It felt good to be back in his robes. He had missed them dearly, and Ayumi had been nice and understanding when he asked her to help him get Kagome's bag out. The soft crimson blew back, flattening against his body like another layer of skin as the rest fluttered behind him. Inuyasha breathed in deeply, trying to sift through the air to find Kagome's scent. He could smell it in the distance.

_Kagome_.

He was almost there. The half-demon could almost feel her presence as he leapt into a parking lot, landing skillfully on his haunches. The tips of his fingers grazed the cement as his head moved from side to side, golden eyes scanning the surroundings. He sniffed the air again, the soothing strawberry and vanilla scent reaching his nostrils.

The bus slowly pulled up alongside the building. Inuyasha silently bounded over to the doors. They opened quietly and Katsuo looked down at him.

"Order everyone to stay here! I will be right back."

Katsuo nodded, watching as he ran off. The young hanyou walked silently along the building. He stopped suddenly as a man walked out, looking quite bored. He was whistling a tune and dressed in casual clothes. Inuyasha reached out, grabbing him from behind and covering his mouth. The man squirmed, going quiet as Inuyasha growled at him.

"Alright, I only am going to ask you one little question. If you can answer honestly, I will let you go without a scratch."

The man nodded, swallowing. Inuyasha slowly pulled his hand back, his golden eyes smoldering.

"What has the men done with my girl?"

"Your g-girl?"

"Yeah, she has black hair that goes a little past her shoulders and bangs. She has pretty wide brown eyes and soft skin. Do you know where she is?"

The guy swallowed and whispered something that sounded like 'the secretary', though Inuyasha wasn't sure.

"Oh, I'm sorry, man, but she is gone. Dead, to be honest."

Inuyasha felt his stomach sink. The feeling that flooded through him was like nothing he had felt before. It was quite closely related to how he felt when Kikyo had died, but this was worse in different ways. The pain was excruciating, piercing through his chest and causing his heart to ache. It felt so awful that he had to use all of his will not to crush the guy's head and cry out in his own grief.

"Where…is the b-body?" He could barely get out the words. All he wanted to do was go run his blade through some idiot's face, even if the guy would only feel a fraction of the pain he was feeling.

"Uh…well, it was already shipped to the family. I'm sorry, man…"

_They sent Kagome's bo…they sent her to her Mother, brother and Grandpa already?_

Inuyasha lightly connected his fist with the guy's head. He slumped and the hanyou let his body fall limply to the ground. He exhaled shakily, turning the grief into anger. It had always worked for him before. When his mother died…when Kikyo died…

His feet lightly flew over the ground as he slipped inside through the open door that the man had come through. The anger was boiling, bubbling on the surface. At any time it would explode, and when it did, he would direct it on the bastard in charge of Kagome's kidnapping. But first, he had to make sure Yuka was also okay. If she wasn't he wouldn't be the only man in heartache.


	35. Chapter ThirtyFour

**Yes, yes, yes, I have been neglecting my duties on my other stories. All I can say is, I'm sorry! I will get to them as soon as I can. Seeing how this is my most popular and in-demand story right now, though, I'm trying to keep the updates flowing on this one. I will try to get to my other stuff ASAP, but darn, I'm just so busy! Anywhoo, I have a poll for all of you to take! I'm quite curious, so please vote.**

**Which character do you like reading about the most?**

**A. Inuyasha E. I really don't care, I just like to read the plot.**

**B. Kagome**

**C. Katsuo**

**D. Yuka**

**Let me know! Ja ne~**

**Whitewolfffy~**

* * *

**~Chapter Thirty-Four~**

Minutes ticked by at an agonizing pace, causing Kagome to sigh heavily. Taro smiled, standing to walk over to his little 'guest'. She cringed away from him as he grabbed her arm, lifting her up. The feel of his clamy palms on her skin felt repulsive, and even worse was his moist breath that smelled of generic cigarettes.

"I know that I said I would wait for your boyfriend to arrive, my dear, but I suppose temptation is too much for me. Perhaps a few minutes of fooling around won't hurt...for me at least." He chuckled.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, trying to pull her arm away from him. Taro huffed, tugging her over to a door that led to the empty lounge. The young priestess brought her leg up, effectively kneeing him in the groin. Taro exhaled sharply and painfully, yelling to a guard standing outside the door. The man walked into the room, a wary expression on his features. Kagome tensed, waiting for him to order the man to take her away.

"Mr. Dary, do me the favor of watching this Yuka female for a few minutes, will you? I shall be right back."

It was a surprising and yet sinking revelation to the girl. The man's intentions quite suddenly became clear to her, causing defiant tears to form in her eyes. She was young, and most definitely innocent. Kagome had never been touched in vulgar ways before, and the only man she had ever wished to hold her intimately wasn't the one trying to take her right now. In the back of her mind there still resided the stubborn part of her that trusted Inuyasha whole-heartedly. That same part was yelling at her right now to be logical and not panic.

_He is coming for you!_ It hollered, _He may not be here yet, but he is coming! Inuyasha would never abandon us. _

Kagome breathed deeply, trying to muster up the strength that her friends had come to admire. She took in shaky breaths, though it seemed to be working. The miko swallowed, preparing to fight Taro with all she had in her.

The door to the lounge opened easily, revealing a dimly-lit room and comfortable couch. There were frames on the walls with old records inside, and a fan was swishing over-head. The place smelled of incense, a strong and bold kind. Elevator music was playing, and for that one moment it almost seemed like the situation was normal. Well, that was until Taro shoved her onto her back on the couch. Kagome let out a cry, shoving at his chest as he attempted to crawl on top of her.

* * *

Claws like steel connected with flesh in a gruesome display in the same building. The owner's snowy hair cascaded down his back as he landed gracefully, looking over his doings. The floor was covered with blood, though not of the innocent. Inuyasha had decided that he wouldn't kill unless necessary, in honor of Kagome's memory. He knew how much she hated violence and murder, though her own fate rested in such a catagory. His golden eyes scanned the area for any challengers, only to narrow when none were sighted. The majority of the guards had ran off screaming and hollering a while ago, seeing how they were no match for this man that moved like a panther and fought like a ninja.

His furry ears twitched, listening intently for any approaching footsteps. After realizing that there were none coming, he lightly pushed against the floor, running down a hallway to his right. The hanyou lightly touched the hilt of his sword, prepared to use the weapon on the bastard he was coming after. The light and breezy scent that belonged to Yuka reached his nose, telling him that he was almost there.

Inuyasha punched the door, satisfied to hear the cracking of wood as it gave way. The sight before him he found surprising. Yuka held a stapler in her hands, a guard laying on the floor in front of her. There was blood on the stapler and tears in her eyes.

"I-Inuyasha?" She gasped upon seeing him walk into the room.

"Who else were you expecting?" His tone was bitter, though he knew that Yuka wasn't the one he wanted to take his anger out on.

The girl swallowed, the tears falling down her cheeks quietly. The stapler fell from her hand, clattering onto the floor.

"Inuyasha, do you know where Kagome is?"

The single mention of her name was enough to make the dull ache clench his heart again. He exhaled slowly, trying to encourage his anger to come back.

"Don't you know? She...she is...gone."

Yuka's face seemed to ease from its hurt tension a fraction, "You mean, she escaped? Oh, good! I'm so...so glad."

"No, Yuka. She...she was kille-"

He was interrupted sharply by a scream, one coming from a nearby door. The half-demon touched Tetsusaiga, walking toward it. He could smell a strong incense, one that filled his nostrils and made it hard to smell what was on the other side.

* * *

Katsuo sighed. Eri was yelling at Hojo, demanding that he do something to save their beloved Kagome, while Ayumi was sitting down and munching on pretzels. She didn't seem to be bothered too much by the situation at hand. Katsuo wondered for a moment why he was related to such a quiet and boring girl.

"All of you, shut up!" He hollered.

Eri stopped her ranting, turning to look at him. Hojo seemed relieved now, his usually neat brown hair all messy from stress.

"Inuyasha told us to stay here. And so, that is exactly what we are going to do."

"But, Kat, poor little Kagome is in trouble! We have to do something!"

The boy sighed once again, his soft blond hair falling over his eyes as he rubbed his temples, "Eri, I'm sure our friend, Inuyasha, can control this situation quite well. So, just calm down and please stop your harping."

The girl's bottom lip pushed out into a pout, making her look more like a little girl.

"Oh, fine! But...I'm just so worried..."

"I'll tell you what, Hojo and I will go inside to check on him. You and Ayumi are to stay here, though. Okay?"

Eri nodded fervently, seeming excited with this idea. And so, Katsuo exited the bus with Hojo in tow.


	36. Wacky Chappie 2

**Oh, my! Well, I finally got off of my grounding. The first thing I did was log on and finish writing. ANNOUNCEMENT: During my jail time (aka, grounding) my brain was working over-load and I couldn't get this certain story idea out of my head! So, don't be surprised if I post a new Inuyasha story in the next week. Summer is here and I finished my finals! YAY! I am officially done with my first year in high school! Okay, well, here is a little something to give you a laugh (I HOPE). I tried my best to relax and write whatever came to me, so I hope you like it. Don't forget to drop a review if your fingers allow it. Ja ne~**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

**~Wacky Chappie~**

Whitewolfffy: Welcome back one and all to our second Wacky Chappie! Today we are going to continue the game show from last time. Inuyasha, Yuka, alikmionejean, and Inu'sgirl4ever are on Team Red, while Katsuo, Kagome, Mari605i, and Falintie34 are on Team Green! So far, the Green Team is in the lead with two points!

ravynedoom: Hey, Whitewolfffy, refresh my memory on why we are doing this. .

Whitewolfffy: Well, because it entertains the readers of course! Oh, to fill you all in, ravynedoom is serving as my assistant in the game show as well as the 'point manager'. She is a close friend of mine in real life. Instead of dropping written reviews on my stories, she just tells me her thoughts at school *big smile* Also, Yuka has been called for an interview with _Good morning, Tokyo!_ , so she won't be joining us today. In her place, ScaryDreams10 will be playing.

*ScaryDreams10 jumps up and down excitedly, waving to the audience. She hops over to the Team Red booth. Katsuo pouts.*

Whitewolfffy: Alright, so here come the questions! First question: In the later episodes, we find out that Kikyo was originally going to give Inuyasha the Beads of Subjugation. What was the command she was going to use?

*silence fills the room. Inu'sgirl4ever slams her hand on the button*

Inu'sgirl4ever: The command word choice was to be 'Beloved'.

alikmionejean: Ew, that is just…_so_ stupid. I still like Kagome's word choice!

Fan girls: DIE KIKYO DIE! DIE KIKYO DIE!

Kagome: *blushes modestly* Erm…thanks, guys.

Whitewolfffy: Yay! That is another point for the Red Team! On to the next question: What food is Inuyasha hopelessly obsessed with?

Kagome: *BEEP* He loves ninja food!

ravynedoom: Sorry, but we need a specific food as an answer…

Kagome: Oh, sorry! He loves _ramen_!

Fan girls: RAMEN! RAMEN!

Inu'sgirl4ever: Sorry, ladies, but Pocky is the BEST!

alikmionejean: I believe I can vouch for that!

Whitewolfffy: On to the next question! In the original Japanese language, what does Kagome say that means 'sit'?

*BEEP*

ScaryDreams10: The word she uses is 'Osuwari'!

Whitewolfffy: *claps* Splendid! Eh, ravynedoom?

ravynedoom: Hn?

Whitwolfffy: How many points is that?

ravynedoom: Well, both teams now have three points.

alikmionejean: YES! Oh, eat them apples, ladies!

*Silence fills the room*

Whitewolfffy: Erm…well, actually I don't think we have any apples backstage, alikmionejean.

Inuyasha: I hate apples, almost as much as I hate fan girls.

*Fan girls in the audience burst into uncontrollable sobs. Kagome fumes*

Kagome: INUYASHA! How could you say something so mean to girls?

Inuyasha: What? I was just being honest!

Falintie34: Hey, if it makes a difference, I hate sausage! (A/N: I do NOT know if that is true. Please forgive me if that offends you, Falintie34!)

Inu'sgirl4ever: I LIKE SAUSAGE! It tastes yummy!

*Katsuo oddly starts coughing. Fan girls eye him suspiciously*

Whitewolfffy: Sadly enough, I do not believe we have any sausage in the back either.

Katsuo: Perhaps if you looked in the front?

*Inuyasha blinks, oblivious to what the guy is talking about. Kagome blushes bright red, throwing her shoe at him.*

Inuyasha: Hey, Katsuo, do you have the kind that is stuck together or the little ones?

*Kagome gasps for air, turning brighter red. Fan girls burst into squealing*

alikmionejean: Ah, Inuyasha, as dense as ever I see…

Mari605i: Are you perhaps referring to 'links' or 'party wieners'?

*All fan girls start screaming in excitement as Inuyasha shrugs. Katsuo is gasping between laughs*

Inu'sgirl4ever: I LIKE WIENERS!

ravynedoom: *scoots off to a dark corner of the room, poking at mushrooms*

Falintie34: My dear girl, you like anything that is edible.

*Katsuo grins mischievously and puts an arm around the girl's shoulders*

Katsuo: You do, huh? Well, I have a room checked out at a nearby-

*Kagome faints*

Whitewolfffy: Oh, dear. It seems that my darling guests are causing trouble. Alright, everyone get back in their booths! NOW!

alikmionejean: EW! Kat, put that back where it came from!

*Inuyasha still remains oblivious*

Mari605i: OMG! I wonder what Inuyasha has! *tackles Inuyasha to the ground. Inu'sgirl4ever glomps the both of them*

Whitewolfffy: (O_O)

ScaryDreams10: Hey, I have a camera! Let's take pictures!

Katsuo: Now, now, girls! Don't do anything I wouldn't do! ….hey, I think you have the zipper stuck…

((Ten minutes later))

Falintie34: Oooooh! Original flavor!

Mari605i: Wow…but, it is so big! I didn't know that you could get that stuff in America…

Inu'sgirl4ever: Hey, Kagome, can I have some?

Whitewolfffy: Alright, if you want some you must share!

Inuyasha: Hey, I don't recall giving permission to let any of you have it! That is MINE!

Kagome: Well, it just so happens that I don't mind! They can share it if they want to. You can always get another, you know!

*The game show had ended, and all fan girls had reluctantly left the building. The females finally managed to unzip Kagome's backpack. Upon their digging, they seemed to have found a rather large piece of jerky that Kagome bought for Inuyasha.*

Whitewolfffy: *looks at camera* Well, that is the end of this Wacky Chappie. Both Teams had a tie, and so instead of getting a guy, they got jerky.

Falintie34: ORIGINAL FLAVOR!

Whitewolfffy: Well, we shall see you on the next Wacky Chappie (if there is one)! Ja ne~


	37. Chapter ThirtySix

**~Chapter Thirty-Six~**

The man on top of Kagome smiled wickedly, bringing one hand up to capture her wrists and pin them above her head. She let out another scream, violently kicking at him. He growled, effectively pinning her legs down as well with his own. Kagome choked out a sob, struggling under Taro and shaking her head from side to side. He stared down at her bouncing breasts, his tongue running along his bottom lip in excitement.

"Oh, you have such a lovely figure, my dear. I'm looking forward to ravishing it."

"_NO_!"

"My, you are such a feisty one! But that is alright. I like it when a girl is full of spirit. It makes it that much more enjoyable to break them in."

Kagome yelled out as he ran his free hand up her leg, the tops of his fingers brushing the hem of her skirt. He pinched the soft skin when she yelled, causing tears to form in her eyes.

Taro's hot breath blew over her cheek as he chuckled, opening his mouth as to kiss her. She pursed her lips into a thin line, straining her face away. He brought his hand sharply against her thigh, causing her to cry out again.

"Don't resist me, bitch. I'll break you down until all your determination is _gone_."

He pulled out a knife from his pocket, starting to cut away her blouse. She continued struggling, her breathing going unsteady from the glint of a blade. He grinned, seeing the fear on her delicate face. Buttons popped off as he cut away at the fabric.

It was right then that the door burst open. Kagome's eyes widened and her heart clenched.

_Inuyasha._

The familiar crimson kimono whipped around him, caused by the air disturbance he made while breaking the door. Snow white hair blew around his stunning and rugged features, his hand resting on the hilt of Tesusaiga. His golden eyes widened considerably upon seeing Kagome, her clothes torn and hanging loosely. Taro froze in his actions, the blade hovering over Kagome's bra.

It was probably the worst thing that the man had ever decided to do. The hanyou standing in front of him was over-flowing with mixed emotions. His normally guarded expression was proof to that. Shock, fury, relief, worry, frustration, and tension were all inside his body.

Kagome swallowed, her chocolate eyes never leaving Inuyasha's face. He had come for her, just like she had always known he would. He _always_ came for her, and she had never expected anything less. Though, she would admit that the moment Taro pulled out the blade, her trust had faltered.

_I will never doubt again._

Inuyasha's eyebrows pulled downward in anger as he flew forward. His claws came out, connecting with Taro in a blurry instant. The sudden relief of weight flowed over Kagome's body as Inuyasha lifted him into the air, his hand curled around the guy's neck.

"You _fucking_ _bastard_! Death will be a sweet relief compared to what I am about to do to your sorry ass! How **dare** you even think of touching her! YOU ARE A LOWLIFE!"

Yuka stood at the doorway, watching in shock as Inuyasha slowly pulled the dagger off the ground, slicing it down the man's chest. He trailed it gradually down, closing toward the most important piece of the man's anatomy. Blood seeped from every inch the blade touched, and tears spilled down the man's cheeks at the pain. Taro let out a choked-off cry, his eyes wide with panic and fear as the blade got closer.

"You want to touch something with this nasty thing of yours? How would you like me to help?"

The glinting steel stopped right at the man's groin, causing him to writhe and squeak loudly.

"_Inuyasha_! NO!"

The half-breed froze in surprise as Kagome's small warm hands wrapped around his own, stopping his movements. Her innocent brown eyes sought out his own amber ones. There was fright and concern swirling in their depths.

"Kagome, do you even realize what this asshole was about to _do_ to you?"

She swallowed and the tears that had been held back were finally released. They fell freely down her cheeks, burning a hot wet trail in their wake.

"Yes, but I'm fine now. Inuyasha, hasn't enough blood been shed?"

Her words stung, hitting a part of him that he had forgotten about. The human part of him that hated war and blood-shed. The same human part that was willing to do anything to stop those tears from falling down Kagome's cheeks. He slowly turned his head to look at Taro. The man stared at him in fear and anticipation. He was obviously expecting Inuyasha to ignore her, and from the wet spot on his groin, so was his little buddy.

Inuyasha reluctantly pulled his hand back, letting the blade fall to the floor. He released Taro, letting the man's coughing body hit the ground. The hanyou turned around, his eyes softened as he looked down at Kagome. She let out sob, burying her face in his chest. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her, letting her small, shaking body rest again him. Yuka ran forward, her eyes full of some unfathomable emotion. Behind her were Katsuo and Hojo, both looking down at Taro's slumped body in shock and anger.

Inuyasha turned to walk toward the door, Kagome following him weakly.

A yell filled the room as Taro's fingers curled around the knife's hilt. He lunched forward, the blade coming up against Kagome's throat as he pulled her back against him. Inuyasha tensed, refusing to make any movements lest the blade cut into his priestess' skin.

"I've had enough of this shit! Now, either you drop that sword around your waist and any other weapon on you and back away, or I kill her."

Kagome stayed very still, her eyes pleading as she looked at Inuyasha.

"Please don't do this." Katsuo said softly, so softly that it could have been a whisper.

"I can do anything I want to. This is _my_ building, and _my_ lounge. I don't like being humiliated."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, trying to think over what he should do. All that he could think of was plans that would end with Taro's death. But still, Kagome was obstinate that no harm should come to him. He could already see from her body language that she was ready to surrender to death before letting him.

_Ugh, sometimes I wish she wasn't so self-sacrificing._

His eyebrows rose slightly as Yuka crept up behind Taro. Ah, yes, he had forgotten about her. Still, he tried to maintain a passive expression.

"I _said_, 'Drop your weapons and back-off'!"

Inuyasha sighed, "I can't drop my sword. It…erm…keeps me from losing my temper."

"Bullshit. Drop it, man."

The half-demon swore a few colorful words, glancing at Katsuo. He jerked his head toward Yuka and Inuyasha made a thumbs-up behind his back.

"You are giving me a headache, you idiot. I said 'drop it'!"

"Well, I know something else that gives you a headache."

"Oh, really? Enlighten me."

"Enlighten this, dumb ass." Yuka muttered, hitting him over the head with her stapler.

Taro slumped forward, the blade clattering to the floor. Kagome ran forward, jumping into Inuyasha's arms. She let out a few more sobs, losing her composure. He glanced one more time at the limp figure, making sure the baka wasn't going to wake and hurt his miko again. Inuyasha used his thumb to brush away her salty tears, his eyes full of concern.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head, her chest still heaving from crying. She couldn't stop the tears, and they both completely forgot about their surroundings. Inuyasha cupped her face with his hands, leaning down to brush his lips over her cheeks. Her tears made his lips wet, leaving a salty taste. It was his first animalistic instinct to lick her face, considering that that was what a dog would do to their owner. But instead his human instincts took over, and for a split illogical second, he didn't care.

_My mate. Kagome, my mate. A man tried to touch her, he tried to __**take**__ my mate from me._

"I thought you were dead." He whispered against her skin.

Kagome's heart skipped in her chest, causing her to gasp. What the heck was he _doing_!

_Oh, who cares!_ A voice in the back of her mind screamed at her.

"Inuyasha…"

Someone cleared their throat, causing the two to be rudely awakened from their rare 'moment'. Inuyasha jerked back into reality, pulling his hands back swiftly like he had just touched an electric wire. He turned to meet the eyes of their three companions. Hojo was half-fuming and half in shock. Katsuo had one eyebrow raised, a smirk playing on his full lips. Yuka seemed to have regained her normal behavior, for she snuck an encouraging wink to the hanyou.

"Well, are the both of you ready to leave this nasty place, or would you rather we leave you to make-out?"

Inuyasha pursed his lips and crossed his arms, his face turning a light shade of pink. Kagome hiccupped, an after-effect from all of the stress and crying.

The group exited the building, Inuyasha avoiding any physical contact with the girl. He had humiliated himself to no end back there, and he wanted to crawl in a corner and nurse his wounded pride. So instead, he did what he was good at. He gripped and complained all the way back to the bus.

"What about…Ta...Tar…that man?" Kagome whispered to Yuka.

"Oh? Well, I've decided to make an anonymous call to the police. Y'know, he _is_ a wanted man for attempted rape, or so I hear." The girl offered a grin, placing her arm around Kagome's shoulders.

The young priestess hiccupped again, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. They were greeted with many hollers and worried exclamations upon their arrival back at the bus. Eri and Ayumi tackled Kagome in a tight bear hug, patting the girl on the back as she hiccupped through her explanation of what happened.

Inuyasha sat in the back, his arms crossed and tucked into his sleeves as he looked out the window. He was expecting an onslaught of questions from Kagome's friends on how he was able to do the things he had done to get to Kagome. But surprisingly, they didn't say a word. He expected that they probably would later after all of the fuss would die down.

His mind wandered back to what he had down earlier.

_How could I have been so foolish? I shouldn't have done something like that right in front of people! Ugh, what if she thinks I'm weak or something? You know what, forget it. I'll just ignore it if she tries to say something._

He set his mind on the new decision, though he couldn't help but wonder.


	38. Chapter ThirtySeven

**Hey, I'm sorry if this chapter seems short, everyone. But I really wanted to write a short 'scene' where we could see Kagome's new insecurities and pain. I really wanted the readers to understand the couple's new feelings after this incident. Well, I hope it isn't too weird or cheezy for any of you. **

**R&R, you all already know what to do! ;D**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

**~Chapter Thirty-Seven~**

The sounds of heavy beats and lyrics filled the bus as Katsuo plugged Yuka's I pod into the radio. With the girl's permission (more like demands), everyone was allowed to hear the girl's play list. She had some great taste, which was for sure. Even the boys were starting to enjoy it and tap their feet every few minutes. Well, that was until she turned on the _Black Blossoms_' songs. Hojo made a disgruntled look the moment it came on, and Katsuo wore a pained expression. It was no doubt that the fan girls were wearing the boys' patience thin.

Meanwhile, Kagome had finally calmed down enough to stop crying. She was wearing Inuyasha's red robe since she hadn't had a chance to change yet. The moment things had calmed down she had walked to the back to converse with him. Much to the miko's surprise, his face had turned an adorable shade of red at the sight of her torn clothing. To be perfectly honest, she had completely forgotten about the state of her attire. All her mind could focus on was what Taro had tried to do to her.

And so, she couldn't help but blush as she noticed why the hanyou was becoming flustered. Her bra had been showing and everything! He took off his robe, handing it to her (more like _throwing_), insisting that she wear it.

Kagome couldn't help but bury her nose in the robe, closing her eyes as she did so. His scent lingered on the red material, causing her heart to beat faster. She loved his scent, and at times she was certain that she could become high off of it. The young priestess clutched the robe of the fire rat, her face warming as she suddenly remembered what he had done back at the building.

His lips had been so very soft and gentle, causing butterflies to erupt in her stomach. The feel of his warm breath caressing her cheek as he whispered, it had been a completely incomparable experience.

When Taro had touched her, her body hadn't responded with anything but panic and disgust. It wasn't at all like how she felt toward Inuyasha. Her skin craved for his touch, and every small bit of contact sent electricity traveling through her limbs. She still felt a chill run up her spine at the memory of that guy trying to hurt her. He had almost succeeded. If Inuyasha hadn't walked in when he did, she wasn't sure what…no, she _was_ sure what would have happened. Tears welled-up in her eyes again as the horrible memory rose back into her thoughts.

Golden eyes flickered over to the young miko. He could smell tears, and it confused him. Inuyasha couldn't handle seeing a girl cry. Sure, he could deal with a hole blown through his middle, pools of blood everywhere, battling against desperate odds, or even having something pulled out of his eyeball by his half-brother (who he obviously disliked). But never in a thousand years could he deal with a crying girl. _Never_.

The half-demon had never been quite good with emotions. For goodness' sake, he had learned to survive on his own for _years_ by not allowing himself to have contact with them. The slightest bit of weakness would have caused trouble for him, and of course it would have attracted demons. The world wasn't easy on you just because you were a little kid. He had been forced to mature (in his own way) more quickly than most children. He had even grown to like living on his own, except for the loneliness.

The soft tap of Kagome's tear landing on the window sill caused him to grow nervous. He sighed, closing his eyes as he braced himself for what he was about to do. Inuyasha pulled himself up, walking over to where she was sitting. She didn't turn around when he stood beside her, and he assumed that it might have had something to do with the zoned-out expression on her face. She looked like she was reliving a bad memory, and that seemed to give him the push to raise his hand and gently touch her shoulder.

Kagome jerked in surprise at the sudden touch. She looked up, her wide brown eyes meeting his. The golden orbs softened, and Kagome couldn't help it as her bottom lip trembled.

_Will I ever forget what happened? I don't want to live with this insecurity._

And it was true, also. Kagome had never felt so exposed in her life. It was like Taro had stripped her of all of her securities. All of the confidence in her mind had been peeled away, leaving her bare and unprotected as he attempted to rape her. The word itself made her cringe. She wasn't sure if she would ever be able to look at a locked door the same way again. Locks didn't hold her self-assurance anymore. Such things could be broke away easily.

Inuyasha saw the emotions in her eyes. He could see the hurt that she was holding. That guy had really affected her. Just the idea of someone causing Kagome's peace-of-mind to disappear made him angry. He leaned down, slipping his arms under her and picking her up bridle-style. Kagome let out a gasp as the hanyou carried her to their usual 'area' in the back. He sat down on the seat, holding her close while resting his chin on her head.

They sat there for a little while, Inuyasha ignoring the looks from Hojo and the two girls. Yuka and Katsuo looked away, allowing them privacy. He refused to let her go, and after a few minutes, her composure broke away as well. He didn't mind it as the tears fell down her cheeks and soaked into his undershirt. He felt an ache for every tear, every drop that fell. Her pain was his pain, and he felt hopeless knowing that he couldn't soothe it for her. He didn't know _how_ to fix it, and it infuriated him. Inuyasha grew angry with himself. All of the strokes of his sword couldn't mend Kagome's heart or quiet suffering. And it truly pained him.

He wanted to be there for her. He was her guardian, and out of everyone in the world, he should be the one person she can rely on. And yet, here she was in his arms, her bottom lip trembling and her heart aching. He cursed and pulled her as tight as he could against his chest. He didn't want to let her go ever again. He wanted to shield her from the world, even if it meant from himself as well.

Suddenly their proximity disgusted him.

_I am a monster. What am I doing holding her like this?_

He looked down at his hands, clenching them as he saw the claws. These hands had shed blood and were tainted. He felt horrified with himself for touching her with these contaminated digits. As he was about to push her away, she snuggled closer.

"Thank you, Inuyasha. For everything. If it wasn't for you I'd…I would…" Her throat closed-off before she could whisper another word.

Instead she inclined her head, pulling herself up to gently press her lips to his cheek. She pulled back slowly, her eyes speaking in volumes. As Kagome buried her face into his shoulder, the half-demon found himself allowing it. It rarely showed emotion, and the world _could_ be cruel, but perhaps Kagome was gradually purifying him.

Perhaps he wasn't the one mending her heart. Maybe she was the one shielding him.


	39. Chapter ThirtyEight

**Hello, my lovelies. Very sadly, my adorable puppy, Yuuki, decided to attack my laptop charger. And so, my dear buddy, Bob (aka, my laptop), is dead and I can't charge it. So, I'll have to find another way to write for you all. But never fear! Writing conquers all (or was that _love_ that conquers all?). Oh, well. Anywhoo, who is ready for more humor? I KNOW I AM! Oh, and I want to welcome back my darling (and VERY loyal as well) reader or 'fan', Mari605! She was gone for a while due to an internet fart. Well, welcome back, Mari! I have missed you! Alright, well, I'd like to give credit to The Honorable Gucci for the idea for this chapter (well, part of it). The game idea was hers, and the interruption idea was mine. I talked about it first with alikmionejean, and she agreed that it would be great. So, if any of you don't like it, I'm sorry. Let me know! Alright, well, on with the chapter! **

**Whitewolfffy~**

* * *

**~Chapter Thirty-Eight~**

Warmth pressed against Kagome's body, gentle and strong. She didn't exactly know how to react to it, besides the fact that she certainly was confused about where she was for a moment. Her eyes opened slowly, and the first thing she recognized was red. It was such a bright red, a color that made her heart flutter whenever she saw it. The young priestess lifted her head slowly, looking up at the face of her guardian. Inuyasha blinked at her, bright golden eyes that put the sun to shame. She smiled at him before yawning. Kagome sat up, stretching her arms over her head. Everyone turned to look, smiles pulling on their lips as they saw that she had risen from unconsciousness.

"Hey, Kagome!"

"Good Afternoon, sleepy-head!"

"Are you feeling alright, Kagome?" Hojo inquired, his wide brown eyes full of concern.

The girl nodded, looking around the bus. Katsuo was driving (as expected), and the girls were all standing around her now. It took a moment before she realized why they were all grinning knowingly. A blush burned her cheeks as she scrambled off Inuyasha's lap and onto the seat beside him.

"Here, Kagome. We already stopped for food, but you were asleep."

Inuyasha pulled a paper bag off of the floor, the logo on it declaring that it came from WacDonalds. (A/N: I can't remember for the love of me if that was what they called the 'McDonalds' in the anime! Someone please let me know and I'll fix it!)

Kagome couldn't help but smile timidly, the blush slowly fading from her face. He had been thoughtful enough to save some food for her. The idea warmed her heart and made her want to hug him. She resisted the urge, however, for if she hadn't she knew that it would only injure his pride. The stubborn hanyou rarely did such kind things, and when he did, it was better to not say anything than to embarrass him and make the deeds even more rare. So, she took the bag from his hands and offered a thankful smile. His response was a faint blush and turn of the head. She could hear him mumbling to himself about 'confusing women'.

"We told Inuyasha that if you were hungry later that we could just stop again, but he insisted that we should get something for you anyway. He saved it until you woke up." Ayumi explained, causing the blush on the half-demon's face to deepen.

"Oh, that is alright! Thank you, Inuyasha." Kagome whispered the last part, quickly closing the subject as to not embarrass him further.

"So, we have been thinking while you were napping, and I've come up with an idea!" Yuka grinned, resuming her signature 'hands on the hips' pose.

"Should I be worried?"

"Oh, no! Well, I suppose that depends on perspective. Actually, if you are feeling up to it, I was thinking about us resuming the game or starting another one!"

Kagome's response was an unintelligible groan, causing Eri and Ayumi to giggle. The sound was meant to inform the girl that no, she was indeed _not_ feeling up to Truth or Dare. Sadly, Yuka being the type of person she was, didn't take the hint (or chose not to).

"Well, I guess we'll just start a different game!"

Eri responded by jumping up and down, pointing out the window. She grinned and smacked Yuka's arm, yelling, "Slug-Bug safety!" Yuka turned toward the girl, a scowl on her face. Just as she was about to open her mouth to yell, she paused, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes.

"That's it! We'll play that game! Only we'll have to slightly alter the rules since there aren't a lot of Slug-Bugs out here."

Kagome didn't seem too happy about this, but that was probably only due to the confusion in her protector's eyes. The thing she was concerned about wasn't that he didn't know how to play, but more that she knew that the girls would _teach_ him how to play. Inuyasha tended to like games that involved hitting or injuring someone else in any way. She glanced with worry at Hojo.

"Alright, let's play! Whenever you see a red car, you have to yell, "Red-Car Safety, no hit backs!" and then lightly punch someone on the arm."

It took a few moments, but after that Inuyasha's amber eyes lit up with amusement and excitement. The young priestess sighed heavily, glancing over at Hojo one more time. Just for good measure, she leaned over and whispered to Inuyasha.

"Do _not_ punch Hojo's nose."

The half-demon seemed disappointed at this order, and his mood dampened considerably. Yuka grinned, commanding everyone to stand up and start looking. They were on a highway, and there were cars everywhere. Considering that Japan was such a hugely populated country, Kagome wasn't surprised.

Yuka was the first one to spot a car, yelling out the special phrase and striking Eri on her shoulder. The girl yelped, the sound of contact echoing through the bus.

_So much for 'punching lightly'._ Kagome mused.

Inuyasha smirked, and Kagome immediately grimaced. Yuka was setting a bad example.

Katsuo yelled the words from his driver's seat, but considering that no one was near him, he had to settle for letting Hojo lightly punch Ayumi for him. The blond grinned slyly at his sister, winking one blue eye in her direction.

"You knew it was coming, sis!"

Ayumi rolled her eyes, rubbing her arm for good measure. The game continued, and yet Inuyasha hadn't spotted one red car yet. He seemed to be becoming openly frustrated over it, and Kagome couldn't help but be glad that her friends were better at the game than him. When he finally did, he surprised everyone by lightly punching Hojo's shoulder. The boy flinched as his fist gently tapped his arm, and when Inuyasha pulled back, Hojo's eyes were wide with shock. Kagome had to lift her hand to cover her smile.

_Well, it seems that he is finally maturing._

"What the heck was that about!" Hojo grumbled.

"Did you want me to punch you harder, butt-wipe? That can be arranged!" The hanyou offered, his fist lifted in the boy's direction.

_Maybe I spoke too soon._ Kagome sighed inwardly.

They were all interrupted oddly honking beside the bus. Everyone moved to the right side of the vehicle, peering out the windows. The bus was stopped at a stop-light, and three girls were walking down the street alongside the bus. Yuka opened the window, hollering at them.

"Hey, what are you doing! You do realize that the cars are honking at you, right?"

The first girl, having firey-colored hair, gasped upon seeing Yuka, "Oh my gosh! Yuka, is that you?"

Kagome glanced at her friend in confusion, but Yuka seemed just as surprised as she was.

"Yeah, and who are you?"

"Oh my gosh, it is really her, alik!"

"Erm…I think we might have walked into the wrong set, Mari. Whitewolfffy said that we were supposed to go in door 11, not number 10…"

"HEY, ANSWER ME!" Yuka yelled.

The first one, Mari, grinned, "We are so sorry for walking in on you guys! Happy Filming!"

With that, she disappeared in (what seemed) a puff of smoke. The second girl, 'alik', waved goodbye.

"It really was a pleasure to see you! Inuyasha, eat more Pocky!" The third girl yelled.

"Inu'sgirl, shut _up_! We already ruined this scene, so let's go before Whitewolfffy kills us!"

With that, the two other girls disappeared as well. Yuka and Kagome exchanged bewildered expressions, shrugging.

"That was odd…"

"I couldn't agree more…"

Inuyasha scratched his head, "How did she know my name?"

Katsuo chuckled from the front, mumbling something that sounded like 'fan girls'.


	40. Chapter ThirtyNine

**Hello, my lovlies. Yes, I'm sorry that my updating has slowed-down. I'm getting angry mail and sad panda faces T.T So sorry! I've been caught on a sensational fishing-line called 'World of Warcraft'. I loved it so much that I just had to buy it (don't hate me!). And so, as of late I've totally forgotten about FF and I have just been so busy. I'll try to update more, but to put it simply, I think our little Roadtrip is close to an end. I'll try my best to make it fifty chapters, but we'll just have to see.**

**Oh my goodness! I can't believe a character created by me has become so popular! The more I write about Katsuo, the more I wish he was apart of the series. I just love his personality sooo much (considering that he has everything Miroku lacks and has). I was told by someone one time that they would never be able to watch the Inuyasha episodes the same way EVER again after reading this. XD They also said that they would never be able to look at Kagome's friends the same way either. Well, I'm not sure if I should be honored or offended. Either way, I'm uber proud that this story has been so loved. **

**I really wanted to write another ironic scene. So, I added in one of my favorite movie/book. I really love comparing different stories to each other and viewing the things that are alike. Look it up if you haven't seen it before, I promise you will love it!**

**Well, keep reading and reviewing! You know how much I love you all! **

**Whitewolfffy~**

* * *

**~Chapter Thirty-Nine~**

The bus had never been so cozy. Kagome couldn't remember very many moments since they had left home when she had truly comfortable. The sun had set already, and almost everyone was in their own seats throughout the bus. Katsuo had insisted that the lights in the back were bothering him as well as un-necessary, so instead candles had been lit. The warm lighting sent a flickering glow dancing along the walls, causing Kagome to let out a content sigh. Music filled the little vehicle, soft and soothing.

After Katsuo's fight with Yuka over her I-pod, all of the boys had firmly agreed that it was the driver's turn to select the music choices. Katsuo's play-list had been plugged in, and much to the girls' surprise, the boy was a fan of classical music. Soft notes from a piano drifted through the bus. It was relaxing as well as different. Kagome wasn't really surprised, considering that she had a feeling that their blond driver didn't like Rock or any of the other genres in Yuka's play-list.

Everyone had laid-back for the night, most leaning into their seats and drifting off, and others staying up and reading. Kagome wasn't really tired due to her long nap, and instead leaned against her own seat and read. Inuyasha glanced over at her a few times, the nagging voice of curiosity bugging him. He was very interested in what Kagome was doing, or what she was _always_ doing, and at the moment he couldn't help but wonder what exactly she was reading. Of course, his pride denied him the privilege of just asking her, so instead he sat there and fidgeted.

The hanyou's leg bounced out of habit, and golden eyes flickered back to his charge's face. A dim glow from the candles were wavering over her delicate features, causing him to swallow. The effect from the gentle lighting was really getting to him, and he was finding it harder to use his infamous self-restraint.

Kagome really was beautiful. He had always known so, but admitting it and knowing it were two different things. Her soft, pink lips were pursed in emotion as wide brown eyes scanned the page of her book. His fingers twitched in a silent protest, and it took a strong amount of will-power to keep from lifting his hand up to stroke her silken skin. She was a doll, just as soft and beautiful as something that could only be cherished. He was amazed that something so small and precious could be so strong and hard-headed.

_How does she even survive in the Feudal Era?_

Inuyasha forced his eyes closed, clenching his hands into fists at his sides. It was all he could do to keep himself reserved. A sweet voice, one that he had grown to adore, whispered to him.

"Inuyasha, are you asleep?"

"Now I'm not. What do you want, wench?"

"Well, I was just wondering if you want to read something. I don't mind letting you borrow one of my books if you are bored."

The half-demon scoffed, "Like I would want to do some female thing like that!"

He let one eye open lazily, his gaze drifting to her face. Kagome had her book in her lap with her head tilted in his direction. Soft raven hair pooled over her shoulder, and for a split-second he wondered what it would feel like to run his fingers through it. Inuyasha inwardly cursed at himself.

"Well, if you want you can read with me…"

He responded unintentionally by glancing at the book in her hands. The moment she followed his gaze, he jerked his eyes away and mentally grumbled. A smile played on Kagome's lips and he immediately hated the way his chest tightened at the sight. She lifted the book and pointed to the cover, trying to hide her obvious amusement at his curiosity.

"It's called The Notebook. It was a movie, but they made a book from it."

"And I care about this…why?"

Kagome frowned, her brown eyes softening. She immediately tried to cover it by smiling, and continued explaining.

"Well, it is really a sweet story. It is about a girl and boy who meet each other during the summer, and they fall in love. They come from very different families and lives, and yet they still manage to make it through all of the impossible to be together. The both of them are separated for a few years, and when they meet again, their love rekindles and they can't seem to stay away from each other any longer."

Inuyasha stayed silent, and so after a few minutes she quietly began to read out-loud. He would never admit it to her, but her voice was very warm and soothing. It was like a lullaby to listen to. He found himself leaning forward in his seat, his golden eyes fixed on her face.

"… then he said, 'Summer romances begin for all kinds of reasons, but when all is said and done, they have one thing in common. They're shooting stars, a spectacular moment of light in the heavens, fleeting glimpse of eternity, and in a flash they're gone.'"

Kagome's voice was like a melody with the way it carried, gentle and yet urging as she continued her verbal journey. Inuyasha became interested in minutes, and even though he was deny it if asked, he was actually enjoying the story. The half-demon sat like that for over an hour, listening intently to her even though his eyes grew lidded. After a while her voice quieted, and he was surprised to feel her gently poke him.

"Are you alright?"

"Hn? Oh, yeah I'm fine. You know, that guy was stupid."

"Who? Noah?"

"Yeah..."

The young priestess furrowed her brow, looking at him intently, "Why do you say that?"

"Well, he was an idiot for letting that Allie girl go in the first place. If you really love somebody, you go right out and tell them. You shouldn't let them slip from your grasp. If their love was that true, and he knew it was, he should have spent less time fighting with her and more time letting her know how he felt."

Kagome blinked, taken aback that the hanyou had been listening so carefully. Even more surprising was that he had developed an opinion. She fought to hold back a smile.

"Well, don't you think Allie was partly to blame for the seperation?"

"Why would it be her fault? It was their damned situation's fault and all of the crap they were in that led up to it."

The miko nodded closing her book. Inuyasha raised his brows, watching as she grabbed her blanket and snuggled against him.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I think we have read enough for tonight. I'm tired, so we'll have to continue tomorrow night."

To further prove her point, her pink lips parted in a yawn. Inuyasha sighed, putting an arm around her. He surprised himself at how comfortable he had grown around her as of late. This trip had really taken an odd effect on him, and he was starting to wonder what life would be like when they returned.

"Just don't snore, sleepy-head." He sighed, though he was mostly joking since he already knew that she didn't snore. Kagome slept like a kitten, and he had always found it rather endearing.

He watched as she curled up against him, her head snuggled into his side, and he couldn't help but think about what she read. Ignoring all of the obstacles that they faced, Allie and Noah stayed together no matter what. And all it had began with was a prodding and confession from that boy during the summer. Maybe Kagome's story was right. Maybe anything could happen between them during this summer roadtrip.


	41. Chapter Forty

**Hey, everyone. This is my shortest A/N yet! I just wanted to point something out. During this chapter I had to do a bit o' research so that the stuff I was putting in was accurate. As it turns out, Hiroshima is a HUGE tourist trap (aka, a big vacation spot in Japan for tourists). I looked around and learned some stuff about their shops and Hondori Street IS a real place as well as the retail heart of the city. Oh, and yes, there IS such a thing as machines in Japan that have...well, you'll see. Anywhoo, enjoy! Ja ne~**

**Whitewolfffy~**

* * *

**~Chapter Forty~**

While on the trip, Inuyasha had grown used to making stops multiple times during the day. Katsuo had been teaching him many things about the opposite gender while they traveled, but there were some things that the hanyou learned just from observing. For one, he had learned that girls had to pee (a lot!). Every twenty minutes someone would waddle to the front with their legs crossed, begging Katsuo to stop at a gas-station. For two, he had learned that girls were always hungry for _something_. During these many stops at gas-stations, the girls would come out with some sort of edible thing in their hands. Females liked to snack for some unexplainable reason. Inuyasha had learned to eat one meal and then wait to eat again until the next meal of the day. And last, but not least, he had learned that girls loved to shop.

Of course, this fact was taught through trial-and-error. Yuka had spent at least five minutes arguing (quite loudly) with Katsuo. Hojo was driving, since every now and then he would give their blond driver a break, and much to the Katsuo's displeasure, Yuka took the opportunity to try to convince him that a stop at Hondori Street was necessary. They were driving through Hiroshima at the present, and there just happened to be a near-by mall in the huge city. The next concert was scheduled in the city, and Katsuo had firmly planned to just go to the concert while skipping the girls' idea to shop.

And so, the blond responded by calmly declining Yuka's demand. Sadly, Yuka didn't react well to the answer. (A/N: I think it is my duty to skip the following torture that Katsuo probably went through XD)

To put it simply, Hojo ended up driving the bus to Hondori Street. Lights filled the massive shopping area like speckles of stars in the never-ending sea of night. The girls gasped and squealed in excitement at the sight. Inuyasha crossed his arms, watching everything intently.

"Oh, look at it all! I can't wait to go buy something!" Eri squeaked.

"I'm going to get something for Hanabusa since I haven't yet. He said he wanted a souvenir from Hiroshima." Ayumi smiled.

Katsuo couldn't help but chuckle at his sister's thoughtfulness. Yuka shot him a questioning look, only to get a charming smile in return. Kagome giggled as her best friend turned five shades of red, jerking her eyes to the window.

"What are you laughing at?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"Well, I just find it amusing that Yuka is finally finding someone to flirt with. She has always been an independant type, and it just makes me happy that she is at last developing feelings for someone."

The half-demon raised an eyebrow, "Who are you referring to?"

Kagome sighed heavily, shaking her head.

"Ah, nevermind. You've always been dense, and it hasn't changed through the last few centuries that we traveled through."

Inuyasha grunted, rolling his eyes at the young priestess.

_Women._

Hojo found a parking spot after twenty minutes of searching, and everyone eagerly got out of the bus. Well, everyone except for Katsuo. He sighed, pushing his shades up the bridge of his nose. Inuyasha walked along-side the male as the females and Hojo ran ahead.

"So, I noticed that you've been moving-along with Kagome pretty well since the incident." Katsuo mused quietly.

"What are you talking about, blondie?"

The male laughed softly, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement, "I was referring to the snuggling in the very back between the two of you. I'm not blind, you know."

Inuyasha snorted, though a blush burned his skin at the boy's words.

"Yeah, so what?"

"Why are you always so defensive when it comes to Kagome? I wasn't teasing you, I was congratulating you for your progress."

The hanyou blinked, the blood slowly fading from his cheeks, "Oh."

Katsuo smirked, running a hand through his soft, light hair.

"If I was you, I'd take it to the next level."

"The next 'level'?"

"Yeah, y'know, a kiss?"

Inuyasha swallowed, the redness starting to return to his face. The guy really knew how to make a half-demon blush. Sure, Inuyasha had thought about that stuff before, but the fact that he was inexperienced really took an effect on him physically as well as verbally. Katsuo had a way of cutting around the chit-chat and getting to the point of everything, which took a toll on the half-demon's delicate mind.

"I don't know about that..."

"Well, why not? I mean, it is obvious that you both like each other, so why don't you just kiss her?"

Inuyasha paused to ponder this. He had never thought about it before, but it was actually an interesting question. Why didn't he? The first thing that came to mind was, 'Like I'd do that kind of mushy stuff to Kagome'. But still, that didn't seem to be a satisfying answer to Katsuo's question. Why _wouldn't_ he do that mushy stuff to Kagome? He certainly had wanted to for a while, as well as thought about it while looking at her sometimes. So...what was stopping him?

Kagome was beautiful, smart, funny, brave, caring, and a whole lot of other things that he was too lazy to name-off.

_Kikyo..._

Was Kikyo the reason he didn't? To be completely honest, when Inuyasha asked himself, he came up unsure. He had once told Kikyo that she would always have his heart, but had he been lying to her without realizing it? Perhaps Kagome had already won his heart before he had given it completely to Kikyo.

The more he thought on it, the more his head started to ache. Katsuo didn't press for an answer, and instead let his friend think on it while they walked.

* * *

The shopping was horrific. Half-demons weren't meant for being dragged around J.C. Penny's as well as other stores. And so, after two hours, Inuyasha and Katsuo excused themselves to go sit down. Hojo went with the girls, smiling and assuring them that 'he didn't mind'. Inuyasha was grateful for the break, and he was worried about Kagome coming back with odd purchases. For all he knew, she might buy him a leash.

Katsuo looked around, taking in the exotic sights. The place was over-flowing with lights, smells, colors, and people. Inuyasha couldn't get over the size of the place. He was still amazed that this was what his world had yet to face. One day, the beautiful forests he lived in would be gone, replaced by all of this. The half-demon wasn't sure if he liked the idea of that.

A small machine across the street caught his eyes. He stared at it for a moment, trying to understand what it was. Katsuo looked over, seeing the hanyou's confusion. The boy laughed.

"You've never seen a retail vending machine?"

"A...what?"

The boy laughed again, gesturing to the machine Inuyasha had been staring at.

"What are those things in it?" Inuyasha inquired curiously.

Katsuo responded by going silent, staring at him in shock. After a moment he cleared his throat.

"You've never seen panties?"

Inuyasha shook his head slowly at the foreign word, "No, what are they?"

Katsuo pursed his lips, looking seriously stunned. Finally, the usual sly smile crept over his handsome face.

"Well, my dear friend, 'panties' are what women wear."

"Are they like hats? I haven't seen Kagome wear any."

Katsuo fought to hold back a snicker and muttered 'virgins' under his breath.

"Inuyasha, let me show you something."

The boy stood up, leading the hanyou to a store that had a bathroom. When they walked out, Inuyasha's eyes were bugging out of his head.

"THAT is where they...they..._wear_ them?"

Katsuo nodded shortly, a smirk playing on his full lips, "My friend, I don't wear panties. I wear boxers. I was only showing you where...oh, never mind!"

"Why would they sell them in..."

The next words never made it past the hanyou's lips, as right then he gulped them back down. A very detailed image of Kagome brushed his conscious mind, and Inuyasha found himself turning a _very_ bright red. Katsuo chuckled, leading the boy back out to the bench. Just to make the half-demon blush brighter, Katsuo walked over to the machine, inserting some yen. Out popped a plastic-wrapped pair of female panties.

"Why the hell are you holding **_those_**?"

The blond driver chuckled again, taking a seat beside his friend. Inuyasha scooted away from the wretched thing known as 'women's underwear'.

"I'm saving them for a friend."


	42. Chapter FortyOne

**WARNING: Those allergic to fluff will sneeze uncontrollably in this chapter. Leave now or forever hold your peace! ^.^**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

**~Chapter Forty-One~**

The shopping ended, thankfully, within a few hours. Kagome had bought a few things for the hanyou, including instant ramen and a volume or two of manga to keep him occupied in the long hours. Inuyasha was more than thrilled upon seeing the gifts, snatching them from her and grinning.

"Alright, you got some ramen! It's about time I ate some edible cooking!"

The cheerful mood was quickly dampened, for the girls watched in surprise as the half-demon fell head-first into the dirt while Kagome screamed 'sit'. As promised, the other three girls also bought souvenirs for friends and family, including some things for Hojo and Katsuo. Ayumi handed her brother some sweets and earplugs, and the driver gratefully accepted. Ear plugs would be heaven compared to Yuka's yelling at him in the bus.

"Yuka, my sweet, did you get me anything?"

The question was delivered with a charming grin, blue eyes lit with mischief. He was answered by the red that stained the girl's cheeks.

"You wish, lecher!"

Katsuo's bottom lip pushed out in a darling pout, causing Yuka to flush even deeper.

"That is too bad, considering that I got something for you!"

"You _did_? What is it?"

The boy crossed his arms, sighing, "Well, I suppose it wouldn't be fair to give it to you now. I'll wait till the next time we stop at a store, that way the gifts can be exchanged…"

Yuka let out an intimidating growl, dropping her bags where she stood. She stalked over to where Katsuo stood, placing her hands on her hips.

"Don't be stingy! Hand it over!"

"I'm sorry, dearest, but you'll just have to-"

"If you tell me I'll have to 'wait' one more time, I'm going to strangle it out of you! Hand. It. OVER!"

Katsuo smirked, "Are you sure you want it?"

"Yes, I want it!"

"How much do you want it?"

"…what?"

Kagome watched the two, Inuyasha grunting and wiping a smear of dirt off his cheek with a sleeve. The miko suppressed a smile, tapping her friend on the shoulder. Yuka listened passively as Kagome whispered in her ear. When she was done, Katsuo was surprised to see Yuka nod and step closer.

"I want it…"

The girl lifted a hand, softly brushing baby blond hair out of Katsuo's eyes.

"…enough to hurt you if you don't hand it over."

The girls and Hojo burst into fits of laughter as Katsuo's cheeks burned under the surface. Inuyasha was the only one who didn't respond, blinking in confusion. The laughter at the boy didn't last long, for he pulled out the unwrapped present and handed it to Yuka.

"Now you have a pair that is worth seeing."

All eyes were wide, taking in Yuka's reaction. Her skin flamed red, eyes widening as the pair of plastic-wrapped panties rested in her palms. Her mouth popped open, causing everyone to roar with uncontrollable laughter. The tables had turned quite dramatically, and even Katsuo couldn't help but grin, enjoying his revenge as well as the expression on her face.

"You…you…_you_ _pervert_! You've actually looked at my underwear! You are _so_ dead! SO DEAD! HEY! Wipe that smirk off your face before I do it for you!"

Kagome wiped the happy tears from her eyes as everyone made their way back to the bus, climbing in. Yuka was still ranting in flustered embarrassment, waving her arms at the driver. Despite this show of emotions, Kagome was still amused to see that Yuka hadn't thrown the pair of underwear away at all.

The priestess settled in their usual seat, chocolate eyes wide with excitement as well as curiosity. The half-demon next to her glanced to his left, golden orbs wavering with thoughts.

Thoughts from the previous conversation with Katsuo came to him as he stared at her. Why _didn't_ he kiss her? Here she was, content and glad to be by his side as she always had been. There was absolutely no way he was going to let her leave, not now and probably not ever. Kagome was his, even if she didn't know it.

Silken locks fell into her face, eyes lit with her usual inner spark. She was everything he never knew he needed. Kagome let out a wistful sigh, a smile tugging on her pink lips. The sudden urge to touch her, even if it was just on the cheek, overwhelmed him. Inuyasha had to clench his hands, safely setting them in his lap.

"Hey, Kagome, we're going to stop at the hotel early. Are you okay with that?"

The priestess responded with a bright smile that would put the sun to shame. She nodded at Eri, looking extremely happy at that singular moment.

"I bet you anything that the hotel is almost completely full! Considering that _Black Blossoms_ is in town and everything…" said Yuka, now more composed.

"You girls give that band _way_ to much credit. They suck almost as much as those Screamo American bands," Hojo replied matter-of-factly.

He was rewarded with many death glares from the surrounding fan girls in the bus. Yuka wasn't very pleased with hearing someone bash her music, and neither was the other two even though they didn't show it as strongly. Kagome didn't glare at the poor Hojo, but that might have only been because she was too happy to let anything dampen her mood.

* * *

As Yuka predicted, the hotel was indeed close to going over its capacity. Out of sheer luck, though, there happened to be four rooms left. They only needed three, so there was only one hotel room left in the whole building.

Upon finding their rooms, there were some issues with convincing the boys to have their own room again. Katsuo mentioned the logic of spending more quality time with Yuka. The words were all very innocent until he reminded Yuka of how he was eager to see how she looked in her new panties.

To be forthright, the boys were forcefully shoved into their own rooms.

Yuka refused to explain herself to Hojo and said driver of why she let Inuyasha sleep in Kagome's room. In her opinion, there was no need.

Kagome was by now starting to get used to being in the same room with the hanyou, no one sleeping in the same area or having any risks of the company waking up. Unlike her, Inuyasha was still having trouble adjusting.

The room was much smaller than the last, and Kagome had a glow about her for the rest of the night. Her excitement over the next day was apparent, a happy aura surrounding her as she practically floated from room to room. Inuyasha sat on the bed, watching as she prepared his instant ramen before sliding it into the complimentary microwave.

"So, are you looking forward to seeing that 'band' tomorrow?"

"Of course! There are only a few more cities left until the tour is over. At the last concert, we get to go backstage and meet the guys!"

Inuyasha grunted at this, crossing his arms. He turned on the TV, flipping the channels until he found one that played music videos. The one that was currently playing had a guy in what appeared an underground night-club.

Kagome was obviously unfazed, taking a seat beside him on the edge of the bed. She was tired, to say the least. It had been an eventful day, with a lot of shopping and jokes between friends.

"I can't believe Katsuo gave Yuka panties! Oh, that boy doesn't know the meaning of the word 'tactful'."

Inuyasha blinked, glancing at her, "What _does_ it mean?"

The girl stared at him silently for a moment before letting out a giggle. She wasn't in the least surprised that he didn't know. She had always known that Inuyasha was dense when it came to words from her time, but it was still rather amusing.

"Don't worry about it."

The hanyou returned her stare, his cheeks flushing as he remembered all the things that had been discussed during the day. From the conversation of kisses to the education on panties, it all seemed to zone in on Kagome.

"K-Kagome?"

Her words were a whisper, "What is it?"

"I…do you…do you wear…panties, too?"

The reaction wasn't what he expected, her cheeks burning with a light pink. Kagome's eyes widened, and she pursed her lips.

"I…uh…don't think you know what p-panties are, Inuyasha."

"I do. Katsuo…he…t-told me."

The girl breathed out slowly, pursing her pink lips into a thin line. Inuyasha knew what panties were, but did he know where a girl wore them? If so, then this was surprising that he would risk embarrassment by asking her. Even more so, she would be embarrassed from telling him anything.

"I…yes, I do."

Inuyasha bit his bottom lip, his fangs drawing a few drops of blood. He winced in surprise, forgetting in his nervousness about the sharp points. Kagome blinked, lifting her hand to his mouth quietly. The hanyou was too stunned to move, her fingers lightly brushing the skin. A faint red stained the tips of her fingers, causing her to blush at the realization of whose it was. She went to wipe it on her other sleeve, taken by surprise as Inuyasha caught her wrist in his loose grasp.

"Don't stain your shirt." He whispered, pulling her hand back up to his lips.

Kagome flushed a deeper crimson, eyes wide as he opened his mouth and slipped the two fingers inside. Golden eyes held hers captive, causing Kagome's heart to stutter in her chest. After a moment – which felt like hours – Inuyasha pulled her fingers from his lips, his breathing uneven. The blood had been cleaned off the digits, though the intensity in the room was so thick it could be sliced with a knife.

They stared at each other, both having difficulty with looking away. Inuyasha still had her hand in his tenderly, the light blush on his cheeks resembling her stronger one. Heat, burning and foreign washed over Kagome's body. Inuyasha had never dared show this much emotion around her, and she was beginning to feel the effects from it.

Traveling in the Feudal Era with him had prepared her for a passive hanyou, one that refused to give someone any sort of concern. And yet, here he was sitting so close to her now with an unfathomable emotion in his amber eyes. Wait, why _was_ he so close now?

It took Kagome a moment before she realized that he was slowly leaning towards her. A sudden flashback filled Kagome's eyes, one from over a year or two before. She had been sitting under a tree with said half-demon, shortly after they had met. It had been right before Kikyo had been brought back to life, and he had been very vicious about the whole idea. Despite what he showed on the outside, when she had yanked him closer to yell at him, the dam that had been holding back his thoughts had seemingly broke.

He leaned near her, lips parted ever so slightly as he stared her in the eyes. The look on his face had been different than the one he had now. Back then it had felt as if he was staring past her, gazing into her very soul. Looking back on it, the girl wondered if he had been looking at the dead woman inside of her.

Kikyo.

The difference now was potent, as he wasn't looking _through_ her, but rather _at_ her. Kagome's eyes slowly slid closed, heart hammering in her chest. She didn't feel the overwhelming urge to push him away now like she did then. Perhaps at the time her instinct action had been the wisest, but now there was nothing in her that wanted to stop him.

Inuyasha's hand slowly lifted to her neck, tilting her head back. The miko sighed, the sound a whisper in the quiet atmosphere. So close…he was _so_ close. Inuyasha's scent surrounded her, as hers did him. It was earthy, so comforting and strong that it related almost to cinnamon.

"Inuyasha…" She breathed, being quieted quickly.


	43. Chapter FortyTwo

**I have decided to give all of you to SUPER fluff that you've been begging for through the whole story. Keep in mind that I haven't written very many fluffy scenes, for most of my abilities lie in writing the main plot stuff. So, if you are all thoroughly disappointed, I won't throw too much of a fit ;) Anywhoo, the story is almost done, so I figured it was about time we got the kiss out of the way. Prepare for the little A/N on the bottom O_O Ja ne~**

**Whitewolfffy~**

* * *

**~Chapter Forty-Two~**

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

The sounds of the microwave broke through the intense silence. Kagome's already flushed face deepened in color, seeing as his lips had barely brushed over hers. Inuyasha's eyes flew open, and it seemed that something registered in his mind. He jerked away, hands clenched at his sides.

Kagome sat there for a moment, cheeks burning and eyes wide. She was still doubtful over whether she had imagined that or not. The feel of his warm hands against her skin had been like electricity, the effects like fire. Being with Inuyasha like this was a deadly combination between the two, so delicious that it surely must be unreal.

"Your…erm…ramen is d-done."

The young miko swallowed, pulling the bowl out of the small microwave. Kagome glared shortly at the small machine, cursing whoever invented it. Its very existence had ruined whatever lapse in sanity Inuyasha had had.

"Thanks." He murmured, gently taking the ramen from her hands.

Kagome watched him eat quietly, pretending to pay attention to the TV. She had almost forgotten that it had been on, being caught up in the previous moment and everything…

Inuyasha ate quietly – an unusual thing for him. The ramen was gone in minutes, and he found himself growing restless from sitting in one spot. He could still feel her on his fingertips, her scent clouding his senses. Inuyasha had never lost control in his life, or the times that he did were rare. He was infamous for self-restraint when it came to emotions. For some unfathomable reason, his mind refused to work right when he was around Kagome.

Golden eyes darted to the girl's face, freezing in place when the locked with hers. Both teenagers jerked their heads in opposite directions, hearts pounding in time with the rain that had begun to fall outside.

"Are you…still hungry?" Kagome's voice whispered after a moment.

The half-demon cursed quietly, eyes flashing. There were a lot of things he was hungry for at that moment – none of them being store-bought.

"No." It was the only thing he could permit himself to say.

Kagome pursed her lips, standing up. She silently walked pass him, legs feeling wobbly.

"I'm going to…change into my night clothes."

Inuyasha didn't respond, staring blankly at the TV screen. There was grunting and a booming sound as Kagome wrenched the bathroom door open. He heard her mutter something along the lines of 'cheap hotels', but then she had finally slipped into the bathroom.

Snowy ears perked at attention, listening closely for any sounds from the bathroom. Instead he was greeted with an odd silence, only the _pitter-pat_ of rain making a sound. Bright silver droplets fell in synchronization, landing on the roof in a soothing rhythm. Inuyasha sighed, turning off the TV. It was starting to get late, and he couldn't help but be tired.

"Inuyasha?"

The hanyou jerked at the voice, hands clenching the bed. It was such a sudden noise in the calming silence, any sound sounding out of place when the room had endured quiet for so long.

"Yes?"

"I…erm…I need help with something."

The half-demon raised an eyebrow at her tone of voice. Why on earth would she sound so nervous? Inuyasha walked quietly to the bathroom, the floor creaking in protest when he stopped in front of the door. He had barely raised a hand to knock when it opened, Kagome standing there like an angel. She had one hand clutched to her chest, holding a towel in front of her. The nightgown she had on was unbuttoned in the back, and she looked rather frustrated.

"I can't get it buttoned for anything!"

Inuyasha swallowed, watching as she turned until her back faced him. Her skin looked delicate compared to his, and he was almost afraid of touching it with his claws. Kagome was only a petite girl, and the cream-colored skin that faced him made him fight not to blush. On top of everything else, the bathroom was unbelievably small. Damn hotels.

"I don't know h-how to button it…"

"Just poke the buttons through the holes opposite them. It's quite simple, but for some reason it isn't working for me."

Her voice was full of confidence, not in herself but in _him_. Her reassurance was enough to get him to mentally shove the little voice in his head that was screaming at him. It seemed to currently be ranting about random things, and Inuyasha's nerves were already jumping.

His fingers timidly touched the soft fabric, golden eyes narrowed in concentration. Kagome didn't make a sound, but instead stood there quietly clutching the towel in front of her. The first button was the hardest, but once his hands stopped shaking, it slipped willingly through the narrow hole. He was careful not to touch her skin with his claws, fearing that he might cut her with them. Humans were way too delicate – her most especially – and it was a wonder that he hadn't considered this while they were in the Feudal Era. After they would return, he might just have to lay down some rules about her joining them in battles.

He had just reached the last button which rested at the top, when the tip of one of his claws accidentally made contact with the fabric. Inuyasha's eyes widened as the cotton gave way, opening and slipping down the warm skin below. Kagome let out a shriek, turning around with the towel held firmly in front of her.

"What h-happened?"

The hanyou flushed brightly, hands falling to his sides.

_I ruin everything. Shit._

"I'm s-sorry, Kagome…"

The young priestess was blushing just as brightly as he was, if not more so. Inuyasha gripped onto the edge of the counter, backing up. He froze, his back forcing the door shut. Kagome let out a gasp.

"Inuyasha! I had a lot of trouble opening that door!"

He grunted, "Then I just break down the damn thing."

He was answered with a horrified expression.

"No! I don't have the money to replace it!"

The hanyou sighed, pulling at the door. It made some splintering sounds, indicating that if he pulled any harder it would burst inward and hit him or Kagome.

"I can't believe this! Damn it, you _stupid_ door!"

Kagome leaned against the sink, eyes wide with fear and embarrassment.

"What are we going to do?"

"Well, I could tell you what _I_ would do in this situation, but you already said I couldn't. DAMN!"

The girl winced at his irritation, realizing for the first time just how tiny the little bathroom was. Inuyasha was barely an inch away from her, so close that she wouldn't even have to lift a hand to touch his back. He seemed to be glaring hotly at the door, considering his options.

"Once we tell Yuka what happened, she is going to want to sue the hotel."

"I want to do more than that."

Kagome sighed heavily, shivering. Her nightgown was already inching down her back, and it took a lot of composure not to freak out as well as hold it up.

"Inuyasha, how close is Yuka's room to ours?"

"We are right next to Katsuo and the wimp's room. The girls are on the other side of them."

The sinking feeling that Kagome felt from his words was completely nerve-wracking. She couldn't yell for someone to come help them, because the only ones that would hear them would be Katsuo and Hojo. The humiliation of being found in a bathroom, half-naked, with Inuyasha and a jammed door was just too much to risk having. God knew that Katsuo wouldn't let her live that down, and seeing Hojo hurt from the discovery would also make her feel bad.

"Should I just yell for someone?" Inuyasha's question was like an echo of her inner-thoughts.

"No, don't do that! Just imagine Katsuo and Hojo's reaction…"

His following expression showed the same mental image Kagome's mind had mustered. He shook his head almost immediately.

"Yeah, you're right."

Despite the discomfort, Kagome tried to keep a leveled head. She couldn't count the amount of times she had imagined being in a situation like this with Inuyasha. Sadly to say, her imagination had never gone farther than being stuck in the room. She hadn't ever really figured out how to escape.

"Well, it's a good thing I ate. Being stuck in a damn tiny room is enough of a problem, let alone being stuck in here with _you_."

Kagome glared at him, "Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying that-"

"Sit boy!"

Unfortunately for Kagome, she had forgotten just how tiny the space was, and since he had been facing her, his body slammed right into hers as he went down. Kagome let out a yelp, mentally cursing herself for lack of thought on her part.

The tile floor was cold, and even more freezing on her bare back. A heavy weight, unfamiliar and warm pinned her down, making it impossible to climb off the floor. It took her a moment before she realized that the muffled 'oomf' had come from her chest. Two white ears twitched, and Inuyasha let out a growl as he pulled himself up with his arms. Both were resting on either side of her head, and, for a moment, Kagome forgot how angry she was.

"Damn it, Kagome! What did I do this time?"

The miko could feel her cheeks burning under the surface, and she resisted the urge to shove at his chest.

"You w-were a jerk. It's not my fault y-you are stuck in h-here with me."

The half-demon stared at her blankly for a moment, obviously surprised, "Kagome, I hadn't meant it like that! Gosh, you can be so stupid sometimes."

"Oh, _I'm_ the stupid one?"

"Of course you are! Just look at you. I say something and you automatically take it the wrong way. _Then_ you decide that I deserve to be 'sat', when I didn't do anything wrong at all! And now I'm…we…" Golden eyes widened, and it was obvious that the hanyou had just realized their proximity.

Kagome cleared her throat, "Then pray tell, what did you _mean_ it as?"

"I meant…you…I mean…Kagome…"

The half-demon let out another growl, this one surprisingly shaky. Wide chocolate eyes stared at his face, stunned that he seemed to be nervous. Inuyasha was never nervous. This was the guy that would be willing to jump into a fight with a giant hole through his middle, still mouthing-off to the enemy.

"I meant," His voice was stronger, as though he was almost forcing himself to continue, "It would be easier to be stuck in a room by myself."

"Because I talk too much or get on your nerves?"

"No, because of…_this_." He lifted a hand, gesturing to their current position.

"I'm not stopping you from getting up, you know." She retorted, the brown in her eyes flashing.

"I didn't say…oh, never mind!"

Inuyasha snorted, pulling himself up only to catch his foot on her leg and fall once again. This time his arms flew out, and his forehead contacted Kagome's with a smack. The priestess yelped in pain, lifting a hand to rub her forehead.

"You hard-headed jerk! That hurt!"

"Damn, I didn't do it on purpose! Puny humans…"

He narrowed his eyes, lifting a hand to her forehead. Kagome winced, eyes wide.

"I think I have a headache now."

"Make up your mind, then! Either you want me to get up and trip on you repeatedly, or stay down here."

"I have a nagging feeling that this isn't going to go well unless someone comes in to help…"

The hanyou let out an unintelligible response, informing her that the idea was still out of the question.

"About that answer of yours earlier…" She sighed after a few minutes on the tile, "Are you implying that this makes you…nervous?"

Inuyasha scoffed, "Don't flatter yourself. I've been through worse."

"Hey! This is _not _a necessarily 'bad' situation. Do you just loath being around me or something?"

"Quit being stupid! I never said I didn't like being around you. Sure, you are a pain in the ass most of the time, but I don't hate being around you. I never said that."

"Then why don't you just give me a straight answer?"

"About what, woman?"

"About…about what you…" Kagome couldn't help but flush, eyes flickering to the wall.

"Alright, then. Since you can't seem to come up with your own question, I'll ask my own. Why don't _you_ think this is a 'bad' situation?"

Kagome pursed her lips, "I…unlike _you_, I like being with you. It's…fun."

Inuyasha blinked, taken aback.

_She likes being with me? Even…right now? When I was about to kiss her earlier, she didn't even protest…_

The silence stretched for a few more minutes, making Kagome's embarrassment deepen. He hadn't even responded, and it made her nerves go crazy. When he finally did say something, his tone of voice surprised her.

"I…I like being with you, too. You're not a complete pain in the ass."

Kagome's eyes darted back to his face, her lips parting in shock. The half-demon couldn't fight the blush that crept up his neck.

"Don't tell that damn kitsune kid, but…I've really liked being with you on this trip thing."

The miko stared at him in, trying to assure herself that she wasn't dreaming. They were silent for a moment, Inuyasha avoiding her eyes. After a minute a finger poked him in the chest. Inuyasha blinked, looking at her.

"See? Showing how you feel isn't _that_ bad."

The words were quiet, much too quiet for any normal human. But Inuyasha wasn't completely human, a fact that was emphasized by the amber in his eyes that were staring intently at her now. Kagome swallowed, suddenly feeling a tightening in her throat that she hadn't felt before.

Scary? Yeah, this had to be one of the most terrifying things that he had ever done. Why? Well, that's simple. Inuyasha could run his bare hands through his own brother's body, be on the brink of death, and even manage to survive on a Roadtrip through Kagome's world. Kissing Kagome was a completely different manner. Earlier his instincts had taken over, probably even his demon side's possessive nature. But he had never been more physically alert of his intentions till just then.

"Kagome?" Her name was a whisper, murmured like a sacred delicacy.

What he was about to do would probably change their relationship forever. The little voice from earlier starting its ranting again, this time verifying his own fears over rejection.

"What is it?"

"I…can I…kiss…you?"

Kagome's eyes widened fractionally. He was really making her doubt her sanity lately, as well as her sense of hearing. Did he really just say that, or had she imagined it? It didn't make sense, and neither did the fact that they had jumped so drastically from fighting to intense talking.

"Really?"

"What?"

"Are you…are you serious?"

The half-demon scowled, "Damn it, Kagome! I'm trying to ask you something, and all you can do is gawk at me."

"I'm really sorry! You just took me by surprise…"

"Well, can I?"

"Can you what?"

"Kagome…"

The priestess smiled, so brightly that it thoroughly took Inuyasha by surprise. Raven hair pooled around her head on the tile, and despite the smile, she still looked stunned from his sudden inquiry.

"Ah, forget it. I'm not begging, woman."

He sighed, starting to pull himself up. Kagome let out a protest, a hand flying out to grip onto the front of his kimono.

"No, really, I don't mind."

Inuyasha paused, golden eyes lit with amusement. He was still doubtful over whether this was really happening or not, but he didn't want it to end. The half-demon considered her for a moment, eyebrows lifted in thought. Finally, after much shifting on her part, he smiled back and leaned toward her.

Inuyasha's mouth captured hers with vigor, and Kagome's heart sputtered into hyperactive speeds from it. He tasted of something potent and spicy, and if Kagome had to compare it to something, cinnamon would be the first thought. His lips were tender, stirring the electricity that sparked across her skin.

Inuyasha was everywhere. There was nothing else that existed right then but him, for the world had even ceased to be. It was just the two of them on the tile floor. Kagome sighed, her hands reaching up to run through silky white hair. She could faintly feel the tips of his fangs graze her bottom lip, but that only seemed to make everything more exciting and real.

Their lips parted at last, both pulling in deep breaths that they had been deprived of. Kagome opened her eyes slowly, drinking in the honey-colored pupils that greeted her.

"Wow…"

"No kidding." His voice was husky, sending shivers down her spine.

They stared at each other for a moment, and before either could say another word, the bathroom door lurched forward to reveal Yuka and Ayumi in the doorway.

* * *

**WOO-HOO! I tricked you on the end of the last chapter! Mwahahahahahaha! *cough cough* Anyway, I'm sorry if I killed any of your brain-cells with all the fluffy-crap. After this chappie, we shall move on and get this story finished! YAY! Or (depending on your perspective) BOO! So, let's finish this all together, hn? I love you all so much and thanks for sticking with me for so long! Keep up the amazing reviews! ^.^**


	44. Chapter FortyThree

**I'm sorry if I'm being slow. I've just posted a brand-new fanfic, as well as trying to keep updating on _It Takes Two_. I'll try to hurry! ^.^**

**Shout-out: Happy Birthday to Rainbow-Sunned-Spirit! (Kyra) I'll be adding a one-shot for you ASAP. On a more personal note: Being a teenager doesn't last forever, and high-school is overrated. So, enjoy being young while you can! It doesn't get any easier the older you get, I promise! .**

**Whitewolfffy~**

* * *

**~Chapter Forty-Three~**

Kagome could literally feel the color draining from her face. The strong arms around her, which had felt so welcoming a moment ago, now felt too close. She shoved Inuyasha off of her unceremoniously, being answered with a surprised yelp. Yuka eyes were twinkling, filled with a mischievous and all-knowing look in them. Unlike the girl beside her, Ayumi stared at the couple with silent shock. Sure, the girls had assumed that the couple had already been partaking in such acts, but still, seeing it for herself was quite…blunt.

Ayumi flushed, eyes flitting to the floor. Inuyasha let out a quiet growl, mostly directed toward the miko that was pulling herself up in haste, looking quite flustered. She wasn't sure why she hadn't heard the two girls walk into the hotel room, but she assumed it had something to do with being distracted.

In the heat of the moment, she had forgotten about the fact that her nightgown was falling in the back. As she took a step toward her friends, Inuyasha was honored with a clear view of the priestess' backside. Golden eyes widened, and his cheeks reddened considerably.

"K-Kagome…y-your nightgo-"

She shot him a look, silencing him temporarily.

Yuka crossed her arms expectantly, a smirk playing on her lips, "Sorry if we interrupted anything, but I suggest you answer your room's phone more often."

"I couldn't! We were stuck in here by the stupid door, and I was afraid of breaking it and having to pay the hotel extra money!"

Her friend laughed shortly, glancing at Inuyasha, who was still on the floor. His face was bright red, and his eyes kept glancing up at Kagome's back. He was finding it rather difficult to look away, considering that the sight was almost irresistible. Her skin looked like cream, flawless and soft to the touch. For a fleeting moment a little voice in the back of his mind suggested that it might taste good, too. This only caused him to blush more – if it was even possible – and mentally beat up the little voice.

"The question is – why was Inuyasha even in here to _begin_ with?"

Kagome started, but was abruptly interrupted, "You know what, never mind! I don't think I even _want_ to know."

The question brought Inuyasha's predicament to her attention, and she felt her face heat up as she realized what he had been trying to tell her. Kagome swallowed, pushing past Yuka and running into the other room. She sat down against the headboard, closing off any opportunity to view her backside.

Yuka and Ayumi followed her, puzzled and yet trying to keep from laughing too hard. Inuyasha sighed, also pulling himself up to follow. He noticed, quite absently, that Kagome's lips looked flushed from his attention. He shifted uncomfortably, looking away before the little voice returned to torture him.

"I was just going to tell you a little bit of information that you might want to know. The girls and I were viewing the concerts' information from the internet on my phone, and it appears that due to the damage done to the sound systems as well as one of the members falling ill, the band is closing the tour early."

Kagome's eyes widened, raven hair spilling over her shoulders as she leaned forward.

"They can't do that! That is just…it's…_no_! There _must_ be some mistake! What about all of the tickets that were sold out?"

"Refunds."

The miko pursed her lips, "When is the last concert?"

Yuka stretched before resting her hands on her hips. Her chocolate-colored hair was a little messy, and Kagome noted that the girl was in her pajama bottoms and tank top.

"They are holding the concert as sort of a _finale_. I am happy to say that the original plans of going back-stage and such is still going to happen. I _do_ suggest, though, that you do something about disguising him. If the band sees him, they will most definitely recognize him."

Kagome captured her bottom lip between her teeth, eyes darting to Inuyasha. He was leaning against the wall, seemingly oblivious to whatever they were talking about. She sighed, looking back to Yuka.

"I'll find a way. Was that all?"

Her friend nodded, her eyes solemn for once. She crossed the distance between them, bending over enough to where she was eye-level with Kagome. Yuka frowned slightly, and a very understanding look crept across her face for a brief moment. Kagome was only slightly surprised as the girl pecked her cheek.

"Do a favor for me, will you? Don't ruin it."

Kagome furrowed her brow in confusion, but before she could ask anything, Yuka was gone, already walking toward the door. She paused by the bathroom, looking thoughtfully at the deranged door.

"I'll mention the architect's incompetence to the clerk when we check out."

Ayumi followed, stopping when Kagome yelled for her. She paused, looking over her shoulder. Kagome swallowed.

"Hey, Ayumi, could you not say anything to your brother about…this?"

She didn't have to elaborate, for Ayumi simply smiled softly. She dipped her head in acknowledgement, and then slipped through the door just as Yuka had done.

_Dear old Ayumi. She has always been the sweetie._

After a moment of silence, the miko jumped up, running back to the bathroom to continue changing. Inuyasha didn't follow, and instead climbed into the twin bed nearest the door.


	45. Chapter FortyFour

***gasp* Two chapters in one day! I feel so...tired. XD Anywhoo, we are almost done. I shall probably shed a tear or two on the last chapter. *Katsuo pops up from no where***

**Katsuo: I can't believe you. Through this whole story you've had the opportunity to stick me in the A/N's at your whim, and just _now_ you do it.**

**Me: Oh, shut up! I'm emotional, and it's late at night and my eyes are drooping! You try staying up late to further finish a story! **

**Katsuo: No, I'd rather not. I have much better things to do late at night-**

**Me: You know what? I _really_ don't need that mental image. Actually, here. Now you can entertain yourself without being lonely. *Yuka puffs into existence. Shoves her at Katsuo and snaps fingers, making them both poof out of existence* I'm gonna really miss that pain in the butt/drop dead gorgeous/OOC idiot. **

**P.S. I want some opinions on something. I'm considering writing an extra chapter that covers what happens when they return to the Feudal Era and the others' reactions. I need some votes, though, otherwise I won't. Anywhoo, Ja ne~**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

**~Chapter Forty-Four~**

It turned out that finding a disguise for Inuyasha was more trouble than expected. His long silky white hair was too unique to _not_ notice, and the red-clad body even more blindingly recognizable. Kagome was beginning to get frustrated. She couldn't figure out what to do with him, and a hat and sunglasses just looked ridiculous – though she would never admit it, slightly endearing – and still didn't hide his most prominent features.

The frustration very quickly turned to stress, and Inuyasha wasn't the only one to notice. The girls tried to soothe her worries, but in vein. It wasn't until Katsuo stepped forward that Kagome grew slightly at ease.

"I will take care of him. Don't worry your pretty head about it anymore."

After that, the boys had left to go shopping for the necessary materials that would transform Inuyasha's appearance. Kagome couldn't help but feel nervous, though she knew that the half-demon was in good hands. She stayed at the hotel with the girls. The concert was to be that night, and Kagome was growing restless as each single hour ticked by.

"I wonder what Kat has planned for Inuyasha!" Eri gushed.

"Who knows? That lecher may not even have a plan. I bet he is just going to throw something together," answered Yuka.

Her words were like a dagger to Kagome's already fragile confidence. She gawked at her friend in unspoken horror, eyes wide. Eri and Ayumi shook their heads forlornly, though they didn't say anything in her defense.

"Oh, Kagome, I don't mean that in a bad way! It's just that…well, Katsuo is so impulsive sometimes. So, I was just thinking…"

She went silent after that, deciding it was best just not to say anything that might further worry the miko. The females had planned to get ready, and in a different manner than they had on earlier concert events. Yuka was more than thrilled at the idea of getting primped-up for the final concert of the tour. It was quite a disappointment that the tour was ending so suddenly, but she was still happy that they would get to meet the band.

Kagome dressed in some clothes that Yuka let her borrow, insisting that she was to wear something special for the night. It was quite an elaborate outfit, a short dress that resembled a sundress except for the fact that it was black, delicate red flowers embroidered over it. A red obi went around the middle, tied in an adorable bow in the back. Yuka had insisted that she was to wear boots, but Kagome finally compromised into letting the girl do her hair if she wore sandals.

Yuka did a great job, she had to admit. She pulled some of the hair on the sides back, and then tied them together with ribbon, while curling the rest. The other girls wore dresses as well, though none of them were too classy for a concert.

Not long after that, Ayumi started putting makeup on her while Yuka was getting dressed. During this whole time, her mind kept wandering back to Inuyasha. She was so anxious, worried over what Katsuo was going to do, and whether it would work.

The sound of knocking on the door made her jump, and she almost darted for it. If it wasn't for Ayumi and Eri holding her back, and the fact that Yuka answered the door, making sure not to let it open too much, she would have been already across the room. Much to her discontent, Yuka wouldn't even tell her a thing.

The boys had apparently gone back to Katsuo's room, and he was fixing up Inuyasha. Kagome had almost never wore makeup, so when Ayumi pulled back and told her to look in the mirror, she was more than shocked.

The eyeliner made the brown in her eyes deeper and more pronounced, causing an adorable effect. Her cheek bones were more angular, and the red applied to her lips perfectly matched the obi on the dress she was wearing. She was shocked, sure that the person in the mirror wasn't her. It looked like she was gazing at…

_Kikyo_.

Yuka grinned upon seeing her, nodding her approval. Ayumi only smiled humbly, blushing with embarrassment when Kagome started thanking her. The females were ready in short time, and Kagome was practically bouncing in place to see Inuyasha. She was overly nervous and yet excited to see what Katsuo had done to him, as well as what he would think of how she looked.

They walked down the hall to the boys' room, and Yuka knocked (practically slammed her fist) on the door. Hojo opened it, his brown eyes wide with awe upon seeing the girls. When he finally looked at Kagome, his eyes never left. He gawked at her, wonder and a silly grin growing on his face.

"You look…amazing." He breathed.

Eri and Ayumi grinned, while Yuka rolled her eyes, pushing him to the side in her normal impatient way. Kagome followed suit, walking into the room. Katsuo was lying back on the bed, his arms pillowing his head in an arc. Soft sunlight hair pooled around his face, his lips parted and eyelashes brushing his cheeks. Yuka blushed faintly when she looked at him, and Kagome could have sworn she saw her swallow before she looked away.

Yuka's usual impatience was back within seconds, though, and she stomped over to the handsome figure. He let out a yelp when she shook him awake.

"Now that you are awake from your nap, let's see to more important matters. Where is Inuyasha?" She demanded, glaring down at him.

Katsuo blinked at her, his expression blank as he tried to wake up completely. Finally, his usual passive aura was back. He stretched his arms above his head, a lazy gesture that made Kagome think of a cat. He stared up at Yuka through narrowed eyes.

"He is in the bathroom putting on his new clothes. Did you really think I would dress him up like a Barbie? I'm not you, my sweet."

Yuka ignored the endearment, her hands assuming their signature spot on her hips.

"Is he almost done?"

"Well, I assume so. I've been asleep for about ten minutes now."

The girl glared at him sternly before sighing, "What are we supposed to do till he is done?"

Katsuo seemed to already have an answer for the question, a sly grin on his lips. He patted the bed.

"Why don't you join me?"

The silence that followed was not near as disturbing as the flustered anger Yuka answered with. She crossed the room swiftly, sitting down by the door. Kagome could only giggle, sitting down on the other bed. She looked at Katsuo, who had assumed a pout, and asked him about their day. He refused to answer – much to her displeasure – like Yuka, only telling her to have patience and wait for Inuyasha to come out.

After a few moments there was a knock on the door, and her head jerked up upon hearing Inuyasha's voice.

"I look ridiculous, you moron!"

The blond driver grinned, "You do _not_! I made sure to choose the perfect hair. If you are strong enough to pick a fight with a kidnapper, you are strong enough to wear a wig in public. Get out of that bathroom right now."

Inuyasha answered with a grunt, and the pause of silence that followed made Kagome wonder if he was going to stay in there. Before she was able to ask, the bathroom door opened. The hanyou walked out, and Kagome's breath caught in her throat.

Jet black hair in a gothic style fell across his face, golden eyes gazing from beneath the midnight locks. He was dressed in modern rocker clothes, black leather boots reaching his knees. His tanned skin looked amazing with the hair style, and even though it was a wig, Kagome couldn't help but swoon. His leather jacket that he had worn through the whole trip only added to the outfit. He looked sinfully handsome.

"Inuyasha…"

His ears must have been underneath the wig, for instead of the signature twitch in her direction, his golden eyes darted to her. Inuyasha froze in place, his honey-gold eyes widening as he gazed at her.

_Breath-taking._

He could feel his heart pounding, her scent reaching his nose. She was gorgeous, a sight too precious to be real. He felt a sudden urge to touch her, to assure himself that she was, in fact, actually there. Her hair looked silky, chocolate eyes deep-set. He found himself mentally soaring back to the moment when he kissed her.

Her lips tasted sweet, like a valued wine that only he had discovered. As he looked at her now, he noticed that she had painted them red. They looked delicious, the color of a shiny apple that he craved to bite into.

"You look great!" She smiled, causing his heart to stutter in his chest.

"You look…nice." _Beautiful._

Katsuo frowned at his choice of words, standing to walk over to him.

"Alright, enough eye candy. Let's go!"


	46. Chapter FortyFive

**~Chapter Forty-Five~**

The arena was packed with people. Everywhere one looked, there would be yet another figure blocking vision. Kagome was fervently glad that Yuka had booked front-row tickets. How she was able to do that, exactly, remained a mystery to everyone else. Inuyasha was uncomfortable, standing extremely close to Kagome through the whole walk there. Despite his obvious discontent, he was quite oblivious to the reaction of girls that saw him. Which, in all honesty, was about 98% of the people at the concert. Most of the fans _were_ girls.

Katsuo's disguise was a hit, and it worked like a charm. No one recognized him, and none of the girls really cared. Kagome could feel her cheeks heating from all of the comments that were spoken about her companion.

"Mmm, he looks tasty!"

"Oh my gawd! He is sooo _hot_!"

"I'm going to ask for his number! I hope he isn't gay…"

"That girl doesn't know how lucky she is to have a piece of meat like that!"

Kagome may have not thought of Inuyasha as a piece of meat, but she certainly knew how lucky she was. He looked absolutely breath-taking. Unlike the smugness she normally would have felt, it was actually being replaced by a deep irritation. Girls were starting to flock around him like seagulls and cake.

Honey-gold eyes regarded them scornfully, his top lip curling back to reveal the pointed tip of a fang.

"Damn women." Inuyasha growled, crossing his arms.

Kagome was beginning to get jumpy, when they finally reached their seats. Inuyasha had earplugs in his ears under the wig, and Kagome could only hope they would work. They were too small for dog ears, but Katsuo had tried his best to find large earplugs for Kagome. He didn't even ask any questions about why. Kagome realized, with surprise, that she had grown fond of the blond boy on the trip. As annoying as he could be, Katsuo was actually a great guy – whether he would admit it or not.

They had over twenty minutes before the concert started, and the girls feasted with their eyes. The arena was flowing with mindless chatter, a sea of endless babble that would usually give one a headache. Instead, it seemed to only add to the excitement. Then again, what else would you expect from fan girls?

Not even a minute after they sat down, a man walked down the aisle to their seats. He was burly, with broad shoulders and a face that would make Mr. Clean cry. He looked very intimidating, perhaps a candidate for wrestling. Kagome assumed he was a body guard.

"Are you Katsuo Royal?"

Katsuo looked up leisurely, blue eyes solemn for once.

"Yes."

"We have backstage passes for your group under your name," The man bowed briefly, "If I may be so bold, it is an _honor_."

Katsuo stood, not making any response, "Thank you for the notice."

The girls gawked at their friend in silence, and the only one that wasn't surprised in the least was Ayumi. Eri blinked repeatedly. Kagome and Hojo stared at the boy in disbelief, and Inuyasha acted as if he could care less.

"What the heck was _that_ about?" Yuka huffed.

The blond boy raised an eyebrow, "What was _what_ about?"

"Don't play stupid with me. Why did that guy practically grovel?"

Katsuo's waved a hand dismissively, and Ayumi shrugged along with her brother.

"It is just an irrelevant consequence to being illustrious."

Kagome was about to say something else, when their driver cut off her sentence.

"Now, since we have a bit before the concert, does anyone want to go backstage and meet the band?"

The girls let out squeals of excitement, following the boy as he led them down the aisle and toward a door on the side of the building. It resembled an exit, but there were guards all around it. Katsuo pulled out his I.D. and handed it to one of them. The guard took one look at it and his eyebrows winged up.

"Please go through, Mr. Royal."

The door opened and Katsuo snatched the I.D. from the man as everyone walked through. When opened, the first thing they saw was stairs. Kagome wasn't surprised by this, but once everyone had walked up the stairs, it was more than shocking. The backstage was completely overwhelming and busy. People were running everywhere, hollering and chattering about things to be done.

Katsuo gestured to the girls to follow him, and everyone obeyed silently. The boy seemed to know what he was doing, because he led them through a series of hallways and doors before they finally stopped at a dressing room. Katsuo hadn't even knocked twice, when the door opened.

A boy stood in the doorway, his chocolate hair messy. He looked like he was ready to run a mile, and Kagome judged that it had something to do with the coffee in his hands.

"You people don't look like the make-up artist..."

Katsuo's expression remained passive, "That might be because we aren't."

The boy in the doorway blinked a few times, and suddenly his mouth popped open.

"Hey, you're Katsuo Royal, aren't you? Your father is Kain Royal, isn't he?"

Katsuo's full lips pursed into a tight line, and for a split moment it looked like he was about to yell at the guy. The odd display disappeared as quickly as it came, though, for his features softened back to normal within seconds.

"These are my friends. We have a backstage pass, and because of my…_influence_, we are able to meet your band as well."

The boy in front of him nodded, opening the door wide.

"Please, come in!"

Eri let out a fan girl giggle, her eyes lit with excitement. She leaned over, whispering something to Ayumi.

"That is Mitsune! He is the drummer…"

The group followed their driver quietly into the dressing room, and Kagome could feel her heart beating faster. The idea of meeting celebrities was overwhelming, and to think she was about to was making her nervous and eager at the same time. Hojo and Inuyasha held up the rear, following the group almost reluctantly.

The inside of the dressing room was lavish, though no one expected less. Glimmering mirrors were set into a row of vanity tables, and four chairs sat in front of each one. The band's names were etched into the backs of the chairs, and only one was empty. The name 'Mitsune' glimmered from the silver paint, and Kagome suddenly realized what was going on.

_I'm standing in the same room as the Black Blossoms! Oh. My. Gosh!_

The miko's eyes grew impossibly wide as the lead singer spotted them, standing up and walking over to greet the guests. He grinned widely, green eyes warming like pooled liquid.

"Well, hello! Are you the people that have back-stage passes?"

Katsuo nodded for the girls, seeing that they were too paralyzed for full brain function.

"It is a pleasure to meet all of you! I must say, it isn't often we get to meet such pretty girls."

Inuyasha grunted from the back.

"It definitely is a bonus that they aren't freaking out or drooling." The guitarist mused.

"It must also be a bonus that you were paid to show chivalry to fans." Katsuo retorted in a clipped tone.

Yuka's fire seemed to rekindle, for she smacked Katsuo up the head within two seconds. Her eyes burned with irritation, and when she turned to look back at the other boy, her expression changed drastically.

"I apologize. Our _driver_ tends to be quite a smart-ass for most of the time."

Ayumi flushed at the language, especially since it was directed toward her brother. Yuka appeared oblivious, or just uncaring.

"No, that is alright. The young Mr. Royal's attitude is quite infamous."

Yuka raised an eyebrow, "Wait, you _know_ Katsuo?"

The lead singer nodded, "Of course I do! Doesn't everyone in the business world?"

Katsuo cut the conversation short, his electric blue eyes flashing a deadly hue.

"Speaking of names, do you know who this beautiful girl over here is?"

The blond turned around, his hands retrieving Kagome. The priestess' eyes grew wide as he shoved her forward, and there was answering growls from somewhere near the back of the room. It was meant to be a warning, and everyone knew it.

The band leader shook his head, his brow furrowing, "Should I?"

"Her name is Kagome Higurashi. And her companion, or 'boyfriend', back there is Inuyasha."

The singer swallowed, comprehension slowly seeping into his handsome features. He clapped his hands together loudly.

"I can't believe it! _You_ are Kagome Higurashi?"

Kagome blinked, "That was the name I was born with…"

Inuyasha stepped forward in a flash, his golden eyes fixed possessively on the miko. Soft black hair fell across his forehead in wisps, grazing the bridge of his nose. Inuyasha's muscles tensed protectively, and his eyes darted from Kagome to the man.

"What is so hard to believe? She is standing right here, isn't she?"

"Well, obviously! But, it is just too good to be true. Ms. Higurashi," The boy clasped her small hands in his own, causing Inuyasha's growl to deepen, "We've been searching for you for over a week."

* * *

**Ahaha! I'm so evil. But hey, I'm trying to drag this out for all of you so that it will last longer, so don't hurt me too bad! Besides, we _have_ to dig out little details, right? Anywhoo, we're almost done, folks. So, stick with me! **

**P.S. Due to popular vote, there shall be a bonus chapter! So, stay tuned after the credits for an extra scene to see what happens when they return to the Fuedal Era! *plays a dramatic chord on the piano* Thanks for your reviews - as always - and believe me when I say that they mean the world! I absolutely adore your support, and it keeps me going.**

**Whitewolfffy~**


	47. Chapter FortySix

**Okay, so this chapter is probably the longest I've ever written for this story *pants*. It took a lot of thought and typing on my part, and I put a LOT into it. I hope it shows. I'm sorry if anything disappoints you! In this chappie I _really_ wanted to do a good job of finally explaining Katsuo's story. So, please let me know if it's bad!**

**P.S. A reviewer asked if Katsuo was in the Inuyasha series. Answer: No, my dear, he was not. Katsuo is an OOC character that I created myself for this story. (I only _wish_ he was!)**

**Whitewolfffy~**

* * *

**~Chapter Forty-Six~**

The following silence was a little unnerving, if not awkward. Kagome stared blankly at the band leader, mostly in complete shock and confusion. Inuyasha's hand rested protectively on her shoulder, prepared to tear someone to pieces at any moment. Despite this comfort, Kagome's thoughts were racing. Why on earth would they be searching for _her_? She wasn't very important, and if anything she was lucky to be able to meet celebrities.

Katsuo seemed to have momentarily calmed down. It wasn't surprising, though, considering that the attitude had mellowed a little bit after the subject had bounced away from said driver.

The room was so silent, that Kagome couldn't even hear the sounds of breathing. It probably had to do with the fact that everyone had held their breath at the man's words.

"Why would you be looking for _me_?"

The singer, Kuji, smiled nervously, "Well, it is quite a complicated bit of information."

Inuyasha's eyes flashed, turning to liquid gold. He looked extremely tense, but it probably had to do with the fact that Kuji was actually touching Kagome. The half-demon despised letting people touch Kagome, but he absolutely _refused_ to let it happen if they were someone he didn't know or someone he didn't approve of. Kagome was his.

"Well, we are listening." He snapped, not bothering to hide the irritated tone in his voice.

Kuji reluctantly let go of Kagome's hands, his expression turning serious within seconds. He clasped his hands behind his back, green eyes set in thought.

"We received a fax about a week ago, informing us that our manager had quite unforgivable complications. It was sent by a certain secretary, if I'm correct."

Kagome's brown eyes widened considerably.

_The secretary that was killed? Is it the same secretary that Inuyasha was told was me? _

"When we read the information, we made sure to look into the situation further. Unfortunately, we discovered that shortly after she sent the fax, the secretary was silenced permanently. It seems that she discovered a history of our manager, Mr. Taro, and that he had been involved in some rather…disturbing crimes. Some were involving the rapes and kidnappings of young women. The secretary was naturally concerned over his position as our manager, considering that we do have many fan bases."

Yes, things were starting to make sense now. Kagome could mentally feel the pieces clicking together. Taro, the same man that had kidnapped her for a stupid reason and attempted to rape her, had also claimed the role of the _Black Blossoms_' manager. Everything was starting to come together now.

"When my group and I went down to his office to confront him, we discovered that the building had been thoroughly and physically disturbed. Many workers were injured, and Mr. Taro was physically wounded – by a blunt object if I am correct."

Yuka snickered quietly.

"After further investigation, it was uncovered the reason for such an event. It turned out, that Mr. Taro had attempted another kidnapping as well as a rape. The girl had friends that had tracked him down, and not only saved her, but left quite an impression. We did quite an amount of digging into it, but after a while, we found out the identities of a few of the friends as well as the information on the girl."

Kuji paused, his emerald eyes seeming to deepen in sorrow. They met Kagome's brown, and he smiled sadly.

"He was fired, as well as sent to jail. Despite this, I still felt that we had missed something. Ms. Higurashi," Kuji looked quite moved, as if trying to express some sort of deep emotions, "I would like to thoroughly apologize for my former manager's actions. They were not only inappropriate and utterly uncalled for, but they were also disturbing and quite unforgivable. I'm _extremely_ sorry."

Kagome blinked several times, suddenly quite startled. Eri, Ayumi, and Hojo exhaled loudly in unison, as if shocked at such an event. Kagome couldn't blame them, mostly because she was having a hard time believing that any of this was actually happening. She was still trying to find words, when Kuji continued.

"We have been searching for you for the past week to not only apologize, but to offer our services. I know it would only be a shadow of atonement, but Ms. Higurashi, would you please accept?"

The miko glanced at Inuyasha, who seemed to be – for once – at a loss for words. He looked completely surprised, and she normally would have laughed if the situation hadn't have been so serious. Katsuo was silent, and for a moment she wondered if he had known about this all along. It was odd, but for some reason, Katsuo always had a way of knowing things. He was the mysterious shadow of their group, always listening and being the logical and somewhat admired eldest.

"I don't know what to say." She finally blurted, her skin heating up in embarrassment.

"I already know that you have front seats because of Mr. Royal, but is there anything else we could do for you? Anything at all?"

Kagome could feel her mind reeling, and she knew that within moments it would go blank. She didn't know how on earth she had ended up in such a situation, considering that only a few days ago she would have been scoffing at such a thing. Celebrities and teenage heart-throbs did _not_ say these sorts of things to fans! It wasn't possible, and yet here she was.

She could only imagine what her family would say if they knew! Souta certainly wouldn't believe her, or any other student in her school for that matter. Kagome suddenly felt extremely tired, and the urge to go home felt over-whelming.

That was when it hit her.

"Kuji-sama, I think I know what you might be able to do. If it is too much to ask for, I would understand, though…"

"Of course, it isn't! Anything short of erotic fantasies, that is." Kuji chuckled slightly at the last sentence.

Kagome flushed, "Oh no! It isn't anything like that."

The dressing room door opened quite suddenly, and Kagome jumped from the new voice.

"Kuji, it is time!"

The lead singer nodded, his green eyes darting from the stage manager to Kagome.

"After the concert you may tell me! We have a show to perform now, and I would hate to disappoint the fans."

Kagome nodded, watching as the boys ran out the door. The stage manager let out a huff as the group stood there, staring quietly. She gestured impatiently for them to follow.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight – you knew about this the _whole_ time?"

Yuka glared daggers at the blond boy in front of her. They were standing outside of the building, and Katsuo was leaning quietly against the brick wall. The concert was still in session, but when Yuka had noticed their driver slipping out for some air, she followed him without a word. The girl wasn't one to forget things easily, and the words that had been exchanged only half an hour before in the dressing room had not left her thoughts for even one minute.

The girl didn't know much about Katsuo, being mostly that he had been adopted by Ayumi's family only a year or two ago. His past was sketchy, and the only people that had any information about him were Ayumi and her parents. Yuka never had really been interested in pressing for information about the boy before. It had never really occurred to her that he might be more interesting than just an attractive lecher. She had trouble admitting it to even herself, but during this trip, she had most definitely grown interested.

"Not in so many words." He sighed.

"Don't play around the bush with me! Did you or did you not know that the _Black Blossoms_ was looking for Kagome?"

Katsuo shrugged, "It was a minor piece of information that was irrelevant at the time I grew knowledgeable of it."

"So…you _did_ know?"

"Yes."

Yuka crossed her arms in aggravation. He was making her frustrated to say the least with his word games, and for once, she wished he would stop holding his high and intelligent air.

"I'm going to spare you punishment on that topic, but only if you answer me honestly on another."

Katsuo chuckled, his blue eyes lit with amusement.

"Thank you for being so generous! Though, I think it is quite unnecessary if I'm going to be punished anyway for the second one."

"Then you already know what I want to ask?"

The boy's entertained smile disappeared swiftly, and a somber mood replaced it.

"More or less. I knew that once mentioned, you wouldn't let it slide away unnoticed. You are quite predictable, Yuka."

She nodded, "Then since you know what to expect, I hope you know that I want a straight and honest answer."

Katsuo stayed silent, his fair features void of emotion. Yuka sighed heavily, running a hand through her soft, dark hair.

"If it will make a difference, I promise to keep everything confidential. Whatever you say will not be held against you in the future, and it won't leave this spot."

He was quiet for another moment, but slowly, Katsuo turned to meet her eyes. His expression was shocking, to say the least, and Yuka gasped inwardly at it. He looked vulnerable, extremely so. She suddenly felt a wild urge to reach out and pull him into a tight embrace.

"How do I know that?"

His normally calm demeanor was gone, instead replaced by a quiet hesitance that hinted at a caution formed from force of habit.

"I swear on my father's grave."

It was the most solemn and binding oath that existed for Yuka. Her father had died when she was very young, that being one of the reasons she had originally felt so close to Kagome. It was a small detail, and one that meant quite a lot to her. Yuka admired her deceased father dearly, not only because of his role in her life, but also because of his actions in life. He was a man of respect in his time, and she didn't take this oath lightly at all.

Suddenly, _she_ felt like the one that was vulnerable.

Katsuo nodded after a moment, seeming to realize the sincerity of her promise. He tilted his head back, using the cold brick as support.

"You already know that Ayumi and I aren't physically related. I was adopted into her family, but she likes to think that I have always been there."

Yuka nodded, "Ayumi is pretty positively naïve like that."

Katsuo quietly shot her a look, one that informed her to be silent. Any more interruptions, she knew, would probably cause him to stop completely. So, for once, Yuka just listened.

"I didn't come from a foster family when I was adopted. As a matter of fact, I already had a life. My mother died at my birth, but my father was quite alive and well. Kain Royal was famous around Japan, though he still is. He was well-known for being a founder of some of the world's greatest kendo facilities as well as car companies."

Yuka's eyes widened, her breath pausing in her lungs. Kain Royal. Yes, he _was_ famous! As a matter-of-fact, Kain Royal was a name that could be spoken almost anywhere in Japan and be greeted with a response. He was well over being a millionaire, and some of the cars he helped manufacture had been sold for hundreds of thousands.

"His wife had given birth to only two children before her death. The first child being a healthy, smart, and inspiring young boy, was quickly loved and approved of by the father. The other child, who had caused her death, had been less fortunate. He was brilliant, attractive, and had an extremely promising future. Unfortunately, he had developed an illness at a young age. The illness caused him to be physically weak, as well as tired for most of the time."

Katsuo paused, the blue in his eyes softening in memory. Yuka wondered for a moment whether she should stop him, but he continued.

"The father was extremely disappointed in his youngest son, and he naturally favored the oldest. When the boy turned fifteen, Kain had finally grown too frustrated to handle any more. He arranged for a close friend of his to take the boy. The boy stayed at the man's house for a few weeks, but slowly the weeks grew longer. Eventually, the calls from his father grew less, as well as the visits. Weeks drew into months, and after a whole year, the man informed the boy that he would be staying with their family as a permanent member of the household."

His voice drifted off in the night air. Yuka stared at Katsuo quietly, the urge to hug him overwhelming. She had never realized that Katsuo had been through such a tough childhood. Little details throughout the trip started clicking together in her mind, though.

_(**A/N: The slanted words are a memory from the bus.)**_

_Kagome blinked in surprise, "Didn't you sleep at all last night?"_

"_I…uh…couldn't sleep."_

He would nap every now and then, but it was rare when she actually saw him sleep. Katsuo never slept, and it was actually quite a small detail until now.

Now that she thought about it, Katsuo didn't really move much either. Whenever they would walk to places, he would always sit down somewhere every few minutes. His calm demeanor always came off as exasperated, and whenever the girls would participate in an activity that would require moving around a lot, Katsuo would always find a bench to sit at or lay back.

The sunglasses. Yes, his signature sunglasses were absent from his face now.

All of these things were such tiny things about the mysterious boy, and yet, it felt as if everything was forming a huge picture now.

Katsuo raised an eyebrow at the girl's expression, "What is it?"

"You said…you said that you had an illness."

The blond boy nodded.

"Insomnia. I've had it since I was five, and it never left. The doctors said that it had to do with my mother's death as well as the stress in my life. My body grew rapidly weak from it."

Yuka glanced at the sunglasses thoughtfully.

"My father tried many ways of curing it, one of them being locking me in my room for a long time. It spent over a year in the house only. He refused to let me leave until I slept, though that didn't exactly work. Instead, I developed an irritation for sunlight. I can't stand looking in direct light for very long. The doctors say that that will wear off in time, though."

He seemed to be rather calm about the whole thing. Yuka smiled sadly.

"Then, why are you so famous?"

Katsuo returned her smile with a grimace of his own.

"I became known as the 'Shadow Son'. The boy that my father was hiding in the shadows was much more interesting than his oldest son, and so the public zoned in on me like moths to a flame. That was another reason he got rid of me. I was getting too much attention. So, anyway, after I magically disappeared, the public began to grow curious as to what happened to me. I guess you could say that people are more interested in what they can't see sometimes. I'm able to get us into this kind of stuff," He gestured to the building absently, "Because of my 'influence' that Mr. Royal gave me. He basically handed me a pass to anything I want including money – that is, as long as I stay out of his life and don't make a scene."

Yuka let out an annoyed grunt, a surprising sound in the sad quiet she had held only a moment before.

"What kind of a father would treat his kid like that?"

Katsuo shrugged, "One of a kind."

It was nice and cool outside, crickets chirping their own conversations in the distance. A lot had been said, and surprisingly, Yuka didn't have anymore to say. For once, she was content just to stay in a quiet atmosphere. She had a lot to think about, and for the first time, Katsuo didn't appear as mysterious as she had previously thought him to be. Family was a touchy subject for him, but other than that, she felt as though she understood him better now.

Maybe people could relate to him. The bodyguard inside the building had said he was 'honored', and anyone else had either treated him with indifference, surprise, or awe. Yuka didn't think it had anything to do with his father. Katsuo, despite all of the things he could have done, actually left his father alone. Instead of living a rich a lavish style, he was content just to live like any normal person. Katsuo had said himself that his father offered him anything he wanted, including lots of money, as long as he stayed out of the way.

If he wanted to, Katsuo could easily take up the offer. Instead, he refused it and ignored such an inheritance. Yes, that _was_ something to admire. Under all of the indifferent and irritatingly charming smiles, Katsuo was actually a good person.

That _was_ something to think highly of.

"You know, I think you are wrong."

Katsuo blinked in surprise, turning to look at the girl.

"What about?"

"I don't think you are famous because of your father, or even your good looks."

The boy arched an eyebrow, his blue eyes fixed on Yuka's beautiful features.

"What do you think?"

Yuka smiled, turning to look at the blond boy. The moonlight urged a soft complexion from his already fair skin, making the blue in his eyes look immensely intense and thoughtful. She rose on her tip-toes silently.

"I think that you are a better person than you give yourself credit for. If you stop acting like such an idiot, you might actually get somewhere."

Katsuo froze in place as her lips gently pressed against his cheek, causing his normally sharp wits to go blank. When he finally did recover his composure, he swallowed.

"What ever happened to 'punishing' me?"

Yuka smiled brightly, "Like I said, 'If you stop acting like an idiot, you might actually get somewhere.'"

A smile curved the boy's lips.

"I'll keep that in mind for future reference."

Yuka didn't respond, and instead turned around, slipping through the door they had used previously to exit from. The sounds from the concert flooded through the night, and yet not even screaming fan girls could change Katsuo's new mood.

* * *

**Alright! I need to give a big yummy cookie to a reviewer! Congrats to 'ashinat crimson flames'! On her review, she guessed that the reason the band searched for Kagome had to do with their manager, Taro. Good job! *hands cookie to her***

**I really hope this didn't disappoint anyone. Anyway, we are almost done! Only close to three or four chapters, and we'll be ready to part ways. *sobs***

**Katsuo: Oh, get a grip on yourself. Really, you still have me...**

**Whitewolfffy: Really?**

**Katsuo: Erm...yes?**

***tackles Katsuo***


	48. Chapter FortySeven

**Hey! Sorry it took me so long! T.T My internet has been down for a while. Anyway, here is chappie forty-seven! I decided to write some Katsuo POV. Enjoy~**

**ANNOUNCEMENT: I finally uploaded some of my own work onto deviantart! I also drew a chibi Katsuo for anybody on fanfiction that reads my stuff. Feel free to check it out! You can find my stuff under the username/penname ~whitewolfffy**

**Whitewolfffy~**

**

* * *

**

**~Chapter Forty-Seven~**

"It truly _is_ an honor," Eri gushed, her eyes wide with excitement.

The tour bus was quite large, the decorations lavish and wondrous. Kagome had never seen a bus so amazing, and not even their worn-down bus could compare to the vehicle. The inside looked striking, the décor being surprisingly stylish but still rocker-themed. Maroon curtains and drapes flowed dramatically over the windows, the cushions and seats joining in a duet of blacks and deep reds. There were records behind glass frames hung up along the walls, and collectible antique guitars sat toward the back of the lounging area. There was a hall toward the end of the bus which she was sure led to each band member's expensive and beautiful room.

Kagome was led quietly into the bus, her chocolate eyes wide with awe and delight. The girls behind her were just as excited, if not more so. Katsuo and Hojo didn't seem anymore interested than if they were going to see a mummy. Now, if the mummy was sitting in an expensive and beautiful car with foreign women, she was sure that Katsuo would be skipping ahead. Unfortunately, this was not the case.

Yuka lingered toward the rear with the two boys, and though Kagome wasn't exactly sure why, the girl seemed to be oddly distant since the end of the concert. Her eyes never left the blond boy's face for more than a few moments, and she constantly looked like she wanted to say something to him.

Inuyasha had his place beside Kagome, her fingers lightly brushing his palm. His skin felt hot where she touched, as if there was an electric current under her fingertips that burned him wherever they went.

The band members were more than happy to show them the inside of the bus, and while the group was receiving a small tour, there were people loading their bags into the storage compartments of the tour bus.

"You flatter me! Pretty girls such as yourselves should have much more handsome and worthy men bowing at your feet. I'm just an average guy shoved into the spotlight of fame, Ms. Eri!"

Katsuo rolled his eyes, murmuring something about 'oldest words in the book'. If there was a book, surely he would own it!

"Thank y-you." The girl stammered, her cheeks tinted a light pink.

Kuji sat down on one of the cushions, his arms spreading behind him.

"Feel free to make yourselves comfortable. There are beverages in the fridges if you get thirsty."

Ayumi let out a squeak of excitement, little hearts in her eyes. Both she and Eri seemed effected in the same love-struck manner, but Yuka didn't seem as inflicted by Kuji's charms. In fact, her eyes kept darting back to Katsuo's face. Kagome had never seen the girl so quiet. It was equally disturbing as well as amusing. She held back a giggle.

"Is two of your employees driving our bus?" asked a thoughtful Yuka.

"Yes, they are! In fact, they shall be going with us all the way to the airport. I'm very happy that we can do something for all of you, no matter how small of a thing it is."

Inuyasha grunted at this, his honey eyes narrowed in thought. After a moment of sifting through the scents and sounds in the tour bus, he finally let his muscles relax. He quietly grabbed Kagome's hand, leading her over to a lounge chair. His hands gripped her waist, pulling the miko down onto his lap as he sat. It was a sudden movement, one that took the young girl by surprise.

"Inuyasha!" She squeaked, a blush gracing her face.

He ignored her quiet protests, and instead curled an arm around her waist. Kagome swallowed, watching in embarrassment as everyone turned to look. She flushed deeper, pursing her lips and praying that no one would laugh. Instead, she was rewarded with something much worse. Ayumi and Eri grinned brightly, Yuka winked in encouragement, Hojo looked like he had just seen his favorite singer squawk out horrible notes, and Katsuo chuckled with amusement; they were all enjoying her embarrassment (that is, except for Hojo).

It wasn't long after that that the tour bus started up. The driving was relatively smooth, though, so no one noticed at first. It was arranged that their bus would be driven to Tokyo by request, and the band members were more than happy to pay for airplane tickets for the whole group of teenagers. Katsuo seemed pleased at the idea of not driving, and Kagome couldn't have been in a better mood. They would be home within a day.

During the drive to the airport, the band members were very helpful with the girls. They took lots of pictures, signed tons of papers and (cough) body parts, and they even put up with being cooed over. Inuyasha had to hand it to them – they were surprisingly patient. Katsuo even managed to get a paper or two signed, mumbling the whole time over something along the lines of 'Ebay'. It was an enjoyable ride, and Kagome was even finding herself in a good mood by the time they got to the boarding area.

"Thank you, Kuji! For…everything!" Kagome smiled.

Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi nodded in agreement, all three of the girls launching themselves at the boys to offer hugs. Kuji chuckled, his green eyes lit with amusement.

"You are very welcome! If there is anything at all that I can do for you, Ms. Higurashi, just let me know!"

Kagome smiled, nodding. Kuji paused, digging his hand in his pocket. After a moment, he pulled a little necklace out of his pocket. It was leather, and at the end dangled a piece of something metal. It had been carved into a heart, and from the effort put into it, it appeared to be a locket now. Kuji smiled brightly.

"This is a piece of metal from the speakers your boyfriend busted at our first concert. As he was flying over the crowd, we noticed the dog ears on his head. It gave us a good laugh that he would wear those in honor of one of our music videos. So, this is for you."

The priestess could feel her lips curve upward into a soft smile. It was a cute memory, and now she had a locket to remember it by! Perhaps someday she would put some pictures in it and give it to Inuyasha.

(A/N: Refer to the chapter that the speakers on the stage were broken if you don't understand the 'music video' comment. I think those of you that have watched the second Inuyasha movie would remember the locket Kagome gave Inuyasha! ;D )

They left a few minutes after, and it didn't take long to get on the airplane. Kagome had never been so high in the air, aside from when Koga had kidnapped her and jumped up cliffs with her in his arms. The land below was beautiful, and just looking down at the thousands of tiny beings made her truly appreciate her Japanese culture. It was great that she was sharing the moment with Inuyasha by her side. If there was anyone else in the world she would want to be there with, she couldn't think of anyone.

The hanyou caused a lot of trouble on the airplane. He had trouble learning how to use the bathroom, and to make matters worse, he was constantly sniffing the air. She could understand how he felt, though, considering that there were tons of people on the same plane with them. Being so high didn't unsettle the boy, though she definitely wasn't surprised. Inuyasha was used to being in the air or in trees.

* * *

Katsuo sighed inwardly. Being in an airplane had never been his favorite thing. As a child, his father would most of the time leave him at home. Since Kain was a businessman, though, on occasion he would have to take the boy on an airplane. Unfortunately, Katsuo had never shown fond feelings toward the event. He wasn't afraid of heights, but they _did_ have a tendency to make him uneasy.

Stars speckled the skies outside the window. It was impossibly dark now, and just below Katsuo could see thousands of tiny lights winking at him. In the morning they would arrive at Tokyo, but right now he couldn't sleep. It wasn't new, and he certainly had grown used to it. Insomnia was almost always a burden to him. He had extreme trouble sleeping, and during the day he would be too tired to even want to walk.

Driving kept him distracted on this past trip on the road. If he was sitting and driving, no one would notice that he was weak and tired during the day. At night he couldn't sleep anyway, so there was nothing better to do. Catnaps tended to get in the way, so he would most of the time just swallow a pill or some coffee.

Yuka's light breathing drifting through the air. Katsuo's bright blue eyes drifted to the girl, and he couldn't help but stare. Yuka was an attractive girl by normal standards, though her attitude and irritating mouth would throw any guy off her trail in a matter of minutes. He still wasn't sure of why he dealt with her. Katsuo had never considered himself the patient or understanding type. By all means, he couldn't even handle listening to a boy band whining into their microphones. He was beginning to get frustrated with himself for listening to Yuka.

What was it about her that drew him in? He wasn't really sure. She had a magnetic and commanding aura about her that crept into people and made them _want_ to listen and obey. She was a natural leader. Katsuo hated bossy females. They were annoying and most of the time just worthless. And yet, he still followed the girl like a cat looking for food. No, not food. There was something that Yuka had that he wanted. He wasn't really sure what it was, to be completely honest.

He wanted something strong, something that his weak and worthless body could depend on. He was tired of being in charge. Ever since he was a child, his father had shunned him. No one took care of him, and no one _wanted_ to. At a young age he learned to fend for himself. When he went to live with Ayumi's family, he had stuck to that habit. Katsuo didn't trust anyone, and it was better not to. People were greedy. The human race was drawn in by beauty and power. He was beautiful in the public's eyes, and yet he lacked power. That was why his father had abandoned him.

Katsuo couldn't trust anyone, and yet, he had grown tired of that theory. He craved something stronger than himself. He wanted to be able to let go, and for once, someone to catch him when he fell.

Yes, _that _was what had attracted him to Yuka. She practically emitted strength and dependability. And much to his delight, she had accepted him.

"_If you stop acting like an idiot, you might actually get somewhere."_

If he stopped being so damn stubborn, he _might _get somewhere. She was right. And more over, he _wanted_ to get somewhere.

_I want you, Yuka. I want your loud mouth, your idiotic tendencies, your big dreams…I want all of you. May I be damned for being so greedy, but I can't stop myself now. I've never wanted anything more in my life – not even my father's love. I don't think I would even care about that missing piece in my life anymore if I had you._

She yawned in her sleep, her cheeks a rosy color. Blue eyes drifted over the room, scanning the area for any watchful eyes. When none were detected, he very carefully lifted a hand, brushing it against the soft skin of her cheek.

_You never thought I'd become anything worthwhile when I grew, did you, father? You're right. I'm not worth anything. She is worth __**everything**__. Yuka will make me into the man you always wanted me to be, mother. I know, because I'm already slowly falling into her…no, I'm falling __**for**__ her._

Yuka smiled softly, her dreams not interrupted in the least. Katsuo withdrew his hand after a moment, feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion wash over him. The blond boy slumped against his chair, letting unconsciousness pull him into its web. He was used to these sudden moments of sleep. Even though he knew he wouldn't have the pleasure of slumber for long, he still welcomed it with open arms.

Perhaps he would only nap. A dream would be nice. So he made a silent wish as his blue eyes slid shut.

_Let me dream of her…just for a little while…_


	49. Chapter FortyEight

****

~Chapter Forty-Eight~

It was early in the morning when they arrived in Tokyo, their van resting mysteriously in the parking lot of the airport. Kagome had fallen asleep, and though he feared waking her, Inuyasha made it his job to wake her. She was groggy and wobbly, but the miko managed to get off of the plane with everyone else.

Katsuo offered to drive, but oddly enough, Hojo took the job. She hadn't thought about it much, but Hojo had been pretty quiet throughout the rest of the trip. Kagome had never seen the boy so withdrawn, and to be honest, it bothered her.

The drive to the Higurashi Shrine was mostly in silence, a wide contrast to the laughter and chatter that had filled the confines of the bus for so many weeks on the road. Katsuo was silent, his muscles relaxed and his head tilted back against the seat. His signature sunglasses were on the bridge of his nose, and the sight was comforting. Familiar and bitter-sweet.

Kagome had never really realized it till that half-hour drive. The Roadtrip had come to an end. It was a sad and depressing thought, considering that the memories that were made on the trip had been so wonderful. Though she wished those moments would last forever, she already knew they would in her heart. It had been fun, and though many bad things had happened, Kagome didn't regret a single minute of it.

Deep brown eyes met golden, and for the single instant they did, Kagome had never felt more at peace in her life. A strong and warm hand slipped over hers, giving a reassuring squeeze – almost as if in answer to her inner musing. Everything that had happened in the past month seemed to come together now. Puzzle pieces that had been missing were there. Things had been lost, but in return the greatest had been gained.

_I love you._

Those three words caused her heart to swell, and though she was the only one aware of their existence, those single syllables spawned the tiniest seeds of hope. Hope for a future. Hope for something that was just out of her grasp. It was a small wish, but someday, she was sure she would be able to grasp onto it.

* * *

Mrs. Higurashi was waiting at the top of the stairs, her eyes wide with delight as the bus parked. No one said a word, and no one had to. Emotions and reassurances were passed in glances and smiles, and as Kagome climbed those stairs with Inuyasha, she felt as though she was climbing over something else entirely.

Everything lay behind, and there was no looking back. Friendships had been made, bonded and lasting, though short as they had been.

Mrs. Higurashi led them into the house, a large tray of tea set out on the table. The group took turns, telling each story with just as much emotion as the last. Laughter echoed through the small house, followed by somber whispers at different parts. Hours passed as though they were no more than minutes, and as time dragged on, Kagome's head leisurely found Inuyasha's shoulder. His hand curled around hers in a silent comfort, fingers intertwining in unspoken affection.

The priestess' eyes slowly fell upon the faces of each of her friends, various emotions and thoughts for each one. Katsuo was watching with a gentle and laid-back expression, his blue eyes soft. His gaze settled on the girl next to him, her face lit with animation as she played out a memory for their host. There was such a tender emotion in those eyes, a depth that only mirrored on the surface. The affection was there, though guarded with a cautious nature. Kagome couldn't help but smile at that.

Eri and Ayumi held each other in an embrace that was practically emitting an aura of fond companionship. Their arms rested along the others' shoulders, soft smiles on their faces. Kagome had never seen them so happy.

Hojo was quiet, his face set in a blank mask of thought. He was never like that, and though Kagome couldn't find it in herself to regret what she felt for Inuyasha, she was finding that she sorely regretting hurting Hojo. He was a dear friend to her, always offering an encouraging and unwavering smile to her whenever they met. The thought of breaking his heart was enough to make the girl unhappy with herself.

Her hand slid out of the hanyou's, and after whispering in his ear briefly, she stood. She was quick, her eyes catching Hojo's in an urging way. He must have understood her intentions – or was too curious to not listen – and swiftly stood to follow. Kagome was careful that he continued trailing after her, closing the door behind them. She thought it important to address the boy outdoors, considering that Inuyasha had such a keen sense of hearing.

"Is there something wrong, Kagome?" The boy inquired, his eyes showing only the slightest hint of emotion.

"Hojo, I…I want to tell you something."

She was surprised, though, when he shook his head. He raised a hand, urging her to not continue.

"There is no need, Kagome. I already know what you want to say."

He seemed almost thoughtful, and for the first time in the last few days, Hojo actually spoke.

"I understand how you feel about him…I…really do. It is hard, I'm not going to lie. But to be honest, Kagome, the only thing I care about is your happiness."

"I never meant to hurt yo-"

"It's alright!"

Kagome blinked, taken aback, "It…it _is_?"

"Yes, it _is_. I said I understood, and I _do_! This isn't the end for me, though, Kagome!"

She was still surprised at Hojo's positive attitude, but in all honesty, Kagome had never been more proud of him.

"…and I care about your happiness, after all! Which is why…"

The miko nodded, "Which is why…?"

Hojo took a deep breath, seeming to brace himself for a long journey.

"Which is why I'm not giving up!"

If Kagome had ever felt more like Inuyasha did when he was 'sat', it was right then. Mentally, she felt like hitting her head against something or face-palming.

"Hojo, that is very brave of you, but you shouldn't tr-"

"I know it will be a hard task, but I shall endure with all my might, Kagome! I care for you deeply, and I know that one day you will understand! I am the right man for you, Kagome, and I'll wait until the day you realize it. I understand that girls go through phases where they like bad boys and stuff, but I'm willing to wait for you!"

Kagome gawked at the boy in dumbfounded shock. He truly was the most incorrigible male on the planet! (Right next to Koga, that is.)

Hojo didn't seem doubtful about his decision in the slightest, and he actually smiled at the girl in front of him. After a moment of stunned silence, Hojo grinned and walked back into the house with a very accomplished aura about him. He seemed utterly pleased with himself, despite the fact that his nose was bandaged and probably scared.

* * *

It was near evening when everyone started to leave. Eri and Ayumi were the first to say their goodbyes. A few tears were shed, many hugs were exchanged, and some knowing winks were directed at Inuyasha and Kagome. Hojo followed close behind, pausing to linger with his goodbye to Kagome and her mother. A low growl was sufficient enough to hurry him on his way, though.

Yuka stopped at the top of the stone stairs, tears in her eyes. It was an unusual sight, though oddly touching.

"I had a great time, Kagome! We should…we should do something like that again."

"Yeah, we should." The priestess answered, the tears in Yuka's eyes mirrored in her own.

"Don't forget our deal, doggy-boy!" Yuka grinned at Inuyasha, her eyes full of unspoken knowledge. It was right at that moment that Kagome truly realized just _how_ clever Yuka really was.

The girl lingered when she hugged Kagome, a whisper passed between them. When she pulled back, Kagome's eyes were wide with shock.

Katsuo offered a lazy smile, the kind that tugged at the corner of his lips and left girls dazzled.

"You have a free ride with me anytime, okay, Kagome?"

The miko smiled in return, watching as he offered a brief handshake with Inuyasha. Something passed between them, and what exactly it was, she wasn't sure.

"I'll teach you some new tricks another time, mutt-face!" Katsuo laughed, his eyes shining.

He turned right then, leaving a stunned Kagome and Inuyasha at the top of the stairs. As she watched the two walk towards the bus, Kagome had never been so confused in her life. There were a few things she was sure of, though.

First: Katsuo was pretty smooth to catch Yuka off-guard for a quick peck. It was hilarious watching the girl turn bright red, surprise and embarrassment replaced by anger in seconds as she chased him into the bus.

Second: She wasn't so sure about whom Katsuo's ancestor was. The term 'mutt-face' rang a bell. Those blue eyes were awfully bright and familiar, reminding her of a certain womanizing wolf…

Third: Kagome wasn't positive what was more disturbing; the fact that Yuka and Katsuo had known Inuyasha's secret, or the fact that they didn't mind. Yuka had been sure to let her know the secret was safe when she whispered a reassurance to her.

Everything was linked in some odd way, and she couldn't help but wonder how things had come together so fast.

The fourth thing was the most certain, though, and the most wonderful. Their eyes met for an instant, the sun causing Inuyasha's to flicker with amber specks that made her heart stutter. Snowy white hair drifted around his stunning features by a soft breeze, highlighted by the piercing sunlight. It caught each singular strand, causing it to glimmer and appear almost silver.

Everything could change in an instant, and summer had done that.

_Nothing would be the same._

_

* * *

_

**TA-DA! I think that was a really good ending if I do say so myself! ^.^ Don't panic, though! Due to popular vote, there shall be a bonus chapter! So, stay tuned for one more chappie to this little story.**

**Whitewolfffy: Okay, so what do you think about Katsuo and his lil' secret, eh? Did the news of his ancestor-thing shock anyone? I hope it did! It certainly was a twist on my part!**

**Katsuo: I knew it all along! :)**

**Whitewolfffy: Of COURSE you did, baka! You're the one who we're talking about...**

**Katsuo: That is only because I'm gorgeous and I like women that defy me. (somewhat how Koga likes Kagome...) *managed to find his way out of the closet and the whereabouts of alikmionejean are unknown***

**Whitewolfffy: Well, I'm actually not going to throw a fit now that this story is closing.**

**Katsuo: O_O**

**Whitewolfffy: It is only because I made a promise to myself! ^.^ When this story is done, I'm going to post another one! (although she has waaaaaay too many unfinished fanfics as it is)**

**Katsuo: Do I get to be in it? - hopeful idiot**

**Whitewolfffy: Maybe... - is starting to become nervous about her own characters.**

**I SHALL SEE YOU SOON, MY LOVELIES!**

**THERE IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER CHAPTER! **


	50. Epilogue

~**Epilogue~**

Voices echoed through the early morning, followed by whispers from inside of the ancient well. A backpack flew over the side of the lip, successfully landing on a monk whom was busy fondling the backside of a demon slayer. There was no need for a painful smack of discipline, for the weight of the backpack on his head sufficed. The girl, Sango, gasped in delight as two figures emerged from the well.

Shippo was the first to react, his squeal of excitement followed closely by mewing from Kirara. The young fox kit jumped into Kagome's arms once she was safely on the ground, a bright smile lighting his face. The miko hugged him tightly in returned content.

"Kagome!" Sango smiled.

"It's great to see you, too." Inuyasha grumbled, brushing off his kimono from the dust in the well.

"Your safe return is a pleasure to us as well, Inuyasha." Miroku grinned, the backpack discarded mysteriously.

Shippo's eyes widened, "Kagome, did you bring more ninja food?"

Sango scowled at the kitsune, her expression disapproving.

"Shippo, don't you think they should have a chance to settle down before you ask such things? It would be only right to hear about their trip first!"

Kagome smiled in adoration at the child, fondly stroking his copper hair.

"It's okay, Sango. I don't mind the questions. We _have_ been gone for quite a while."

The kitsune's bottom lip protruded in a dramatic display. Kirara agreed, mewing sorrowfully.

"Well, there is no need for grief over their absence; they are here now!" Miroku declared pointedly.

Sango nodded, "The monk speaks truth – for once – and I am quite eager to hear about your recent adventures."

Miroku responded with an offended sigh, crossing his arms over his chest indignantly. Everyone laughed at that, smiling and starting toward the nearby village.

* * *

"…and right when I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Inuyasha climbed out of the bus and stomped right over to the man's car!"

Kagome gestured with her hands, the hanyou next to her rolling his eyes at her dramatics. Despite his obvious discontent, the group seemed particularly enchanted with the stories. Shippo and Sango gasped at the news, the monk chuckling in amusement. Kaede sat on the opposite side of the fire, urging the stew in the pot with a spoon. Her good eye settled on Kagome, crinkling with laughter.

It was a comfortable atmosphere, one that was not so unfamiliar. It was definitely homely compared to the month the two companions had spent on the road. As the fire crackled, sending shadows dancing along the walls while the light faded into night outside, the stories grew closer to the present.

Kagome stopped after she told of her kidnapping, and though Inuyasha knew there was more detail than she wished to share, he didn't dare to push her for information. The three listening didn't ask for any further detail either, as though they themselves sensed that the subject was better left without approach. Inuyasha insisted that the miko stop and let him finish for her, his excuse being that she 'wouldn't shut up long enough to let him say anything'. It passed without question, and Inuyasha continued the story.

Miroku interrupted once during the tales, softly clearing his throat.

"Who is this handsome fellow that you keep talking of?"

Kagome smiled brightly, "Katsuo is Ayumi's brother. He drove us everywhere during the trip!"

"He's a damn annoying lecher, that's what he _is_." Inuyasha growled.

"Katsuo is a really nice guy! He likes Yuka a lot, but I'd say the only way to describe him is 'actions speak louder than words'."

"Does he fondle women?" Sango inquired thoughtfully.

"Yes, though in a more discreet way."

The demon exterminator pursed her lips, and it was quite obvious the subject was lost on her. Her disinterest was immediately evident.

"Actually, I find his personality rather fascinating," said Miroku.

"Keh! Damn lecher. You two would probably be best buddies!"

Kagome couldn't restrain the giggle that escaped her lips at that. Inuyasha was quite blunt in his opinions, out-spoken – perhaps – but always honest.

Shippo tugged on Kagome's sleeve, his green eyes wide with thought.

"Kagome, how did Inuyasha escape the 'concert' without the possessed crowd of girls attacking you both?"

Her lips curved into a soft smile, "They weren't possessed, Shippo. They were angry."

"Stupid women! They don't know how to be grateful, even after you save their ass." Inuyasha scoffed.

Kagome's hearing was quite good, unfortunately. The hanyou let out a yelp as the word 'sit' echoed through the hut. Sango shook her head forlornly, though the monk actually looked affronted.

"I beg to differ, Inuyasha. Women are a very understanding species, once you learn their language."

Sango's eyebrow winged upward, her eyes narrowed.

"Oh, really? And I suppose you would know their language, monk?"

A playful smile tugged on Miroku's lips.

"Of course! It is quite simple, really."

"Do you mind elaborating?" She sighed.

"Certainly. If you yell at a dog to do something, then they won't listen. But, if you pet them, praise them, and treat them nicely, then they are more apt to do as you ask. It is just as comparable with the female species. You can't approach a female with violence or ungentlemanly conduct. If you do so, they are more likely to respond with aggression or irritation."

The two younger females in the room glowered at the monk heatedly. Sango's eyes were the most intense, boring into him like an invisible knife.

"Am I to assume you are comparing me to a dog? If so – which seems likely – I should be quite eager to respond with some 'aggression' of my own."

Miroku swallowed, his fingers clutching at the fabric of his robes. The tables had turned quite dramatically from Inuyasha to Miroku, and now the hanyou only smirked from a few feet away. He wiped at the smeared dirt on his face, golden eyes lit with amusement instead of aggravation.

The monk shifted uncomfortably, "I would never compare _you_ to a canine, Sango. I merely would comment on the fact that you are a spirited female. More referable, you might be compared to a horse."

Kagome, Inuyasha, and Shippo flinched as a loud smack stung the monk's cheek. Inuyasha shook his head, mumbling along the lines of 'digging his own grave'. Shippo made a quiet escape to Kaede, mostly to see how the stew was progressing. In his personal opinion, the older companions of the group were getting much too rowdy for the comfort of a small kitsune such as himself.

The miko of the group continued the story hurriedly, deciding that it was best to ease the tension between the couple sitting across from her.

* * *

The night was quiet peaceful, fireflies dotting the fields beyond the village boundaries. She stood in them now, watching as they flitted around her carelessly. They seemed to dance above her head, spinning and dashing in their own innocent glee. It was as though they themselves were unaware of the dangers and horrors surrounding them in the world.

The moon glowed a pearly white, nearing its fullness in the coming nights. Kagome had almost forgotten that it was near the new moon again. They had been gone so long, that she hadn't noticed their absence until the atmosphere around her had showed it.

The grass under her feet was lush, and the clouds overhead informed her of approaching rain. Summer had flown by at an astonishing speed. She captured her lip between her teeth, chewing on it in thought.

She felt a little guilty about her quick departure from home. Kagome had been gone for at least a month, and yet she hadn't even stayed at her home for more than one night. Her mother must have missed her dearly, and yet she hadn't even waited long enough at home to spend quality time with her.

_If I hadn't come back, though, then Miroku, Sango, and Shippo would have been worried. We have to continue searching for the Jewel Shards immediately. There is no time for rest._

For all she knew, Naraku might have already collected them all in her absence. The guilt ate silently at her heart, making Kagome furrow her brow in concern. What if the village had been attacked while she was gone? What if one of her companions had been on the verge of death, and she would have never gotten the chance to say goodbye? These were thoughts that only now occurred to her, even though she already had been on the trip.

Kagome was so deeply in her own thoughts that she couldn't help but gasp in surprise as two arms circled around her waist. They gently pulled her back against a firm barrier, and it rose and fell against her. A warm feeling stirred in Kagome's stomach as Inuyasha held her against his chest, his breath tickling the back of her neck. Even though she knew they were alone, and there was no possible way he would hold her unless they were, Kagome couldn't help but feel a flush of embarrassment. She was certainly the most innocent in this situation.

After the surprise wore away, though the blush didn't, Kagome rested her own arms on his. Her hands were small over his, and just looking at his arms around her waist made her heart flutter involuntarily.

"Are you alright?" He whispered.

Kagome smiled, "Yes, why?"

"Your heart is beating like a rabbit's."

The miko could feel heat flood her cheeks at his words. Though she was the most innocent, it might not be far from the truth to state that Inuyasha was the most ignorant when it came to women. His concern was no less endearing.

"I'm fine. You came to check on me?"

"You're too stupid to take care of yourself. I can't stay away from you too long or you'll get kidnapped."

In any other moment, she probably would have grown quite angry with him. But he was too comfortable against her, and his scent was making her thoughts disoriented.

"Thank you."

Inuyasha was silent for a moment, no doubt confused. After a pause, he responded.

"What for?"

Kagome sighed contently, her head falling back against his shoulder. He leaned his head forward a bit, pressing his cheek against hers.

"For going with me, taking care of me, saving me….holding me…"

His jaw shifted slightly, and after a moment she realized that he had smiled..or smirked.

"Someone had to do it. I was right, though; you can't go somewhere without getting into trouble."

"I'm glad you went with me."

His voice was soft, "So am I."

For those few moments, even for those few minutes, nothing else existed. There was no Naraku, and certainly no such thing as Kikyo. There was no Sacred Jewel to be found, and there was no existence of demons. There was just Inuyasha and the sense of comfort that surrounded them like incense.

It was so quiet, in fact, that Kagome didn't even notice when his arms pulled back. She was close to protesting when his hands rested on either side of her waist, turning her to face him. Kagome had to keep from blushing more deeply as their eyes met. It wasn't too dark out, and the lights from the village – aided by the moonlight – made it easier to define his features.

His eyes burned luminous amber, a bright contrast to the dull darkness around them. They captured her gaze, making it almost impossible to look away. So intensely was she focused on his eyes, that once he spoke her hands shook slightly.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Kagome blinked in surprise, her fingers trembling as she fidgeted with her skirt. She had decided to wear casual clothing for her return, and now she was quite glad. The long sleeves of her uniform shirt would have made her feel overheated, especially since her face already was.

"Yes."

Inuyasha's tongue darted out, wetting his lips. Was it possible that he was as nervous as she was?

"I've been thinking about…stuff. A lot happened on the trip, and some of it made me realize things. Like…well, like what is really important. When I held you – after saving you from that Taro bastard – it really made me start thinking."

He paused, though she didn't dare to say anything. It was rare when Inuyasha actually confided about anything related to emotion, and she wasn't about to interrupt him. His hands were shaking slightly, and she could feel it through the material of her shirt. So, he _was_ nervous?

"I can't guarantee that bad things won't happen. I can't tell you that I won't make you mad anymore or not be a jerk. I _can_ promise you, though, that no matter what happens, I won't ever stop wanting you. I _can_ promise you that no one – not even that damn Hojo – will ever love you as much as I do."

Kagome gasped, her eyes widening. Was he _actually_ saying what she thought he was saying? Inuyasha swallowed, and she watched impatiently as he wetted his lips again.

"Kagome, if we survive defeating Naraku – and if you'll accept me – will you consider being my mate?"

The miko stared at him in shock, her chocolate eyes impossibly wide. He was asking her to...was it a dream? The hanyou met her gaze steadily, though the emotion in his eyes was anything but steady. He looked utterly open, much more open than she had ever thought possible of him. That of course, was when she realized - with stunned comprehension - that he was actually placing his heart in her hands. He was not only _trusting _her, but he was also offering everything he possessed. His desires, his hopes, his future...his love.

Not only would she be accepting him if she said yes, but she would also but giving her whole _self_ to him. Everything she had in her heart would be his to share and cherish. Everything. The realization only served to make her heart swell in emotion. She wanted him, more than she had wanted anything in her whole life. Kagome had come to not only want him, but she depended on his existence. She had grown to crave seeing his face, his irritating attitude, his stunning hair and adorable ears, his bright kimono...everything. She wanted everything about him, the good _and_ the bad. She didn't wish to change anything about him. Every detail of him was what she had fell in love with, and it made Inuyasha who he was.

Her mind wandered to her mother, and for a moment Kagome worried. What would her mother think if she 'married' at such a young age? As much as she wanted Inuyasha, she also wanted nothing to change. Naraku would certainly take further action if he learned of their new relationship, and it was possible that she wouldn't survive to see his death. It was possible she wouldn't survive to _be _with Inuyasha.

_"Do a favor for me, will ya? Don't ruin it."_

The memory of Yuka telling her that at the hotel was like cold water in her confused thoughts. She understood it now. It made sense, though she hadn't understood the meaning back then. Yuka had always been more observant and clever than she ever let anyone know. She knew Kagome better than anyone ever had, and to be honest, the young priestess was glad.

Kagome lifted her hand, forming it against Inuyasha's cheek. He watched her questioningly, though nothing was said. Kagome was silent, lifting herself onto her tiptoes. It didn't take much effort, and as her lips gently pressed against his, Inuyasha's arm snaked around her middle. The other hand found her chin, one finger curling under it and lifting it up. His lips parted against hers, moving with as much intensity and curious innocence as her own. As she tasted him, his heady pine scent making her heart thud erratically, she finally formed an answer.

Anything was worth risking for this. For him.

_Yes._

* * *

**Whitwolfffy: *sniffles* The End. **

**Katsuo: No crying. You promised you wouldn't cry.**

**Whitewolfffy: I know, but I just feel so happy...and sad. Kat, can you please take over the cupcakes for me? I'm need to go pout now.**

**Katsuo: *watches as she shuffles off* Alright, everyone! Since Whitewolfffy is going to go sob, I'm going to hand out the cupcakes. Are you ready? Here we go...**

**CUPCAKE LOVE GOES TO: Mari605i, alikmionejean, The Honorable Gucci, Rainbowed-Sunned-Spirit, purduepup, Inu'sgirl4ever, SinisisterGinny, Falintie 34, delgoth18, Bugness Monster, ScaryDreams10, chaslyn luvs sasuke, ashinat crimson flames, Kaname Kururugi, ravynedoom, crazywriterchick2901, inu-1111, PriestessTeeTee, Kitteninthemoonlight, Scarlet Ash and Cerulean Flame, sunokofairytale, Naybas, InuYashaMegaGirl, animated-vampire, InuKag19, Keeaykeay, Katylicious, inuyashi12, .Fish., inusgirllovesmonkeys, Cheza the Flower Maiden, inuyashaloves kagome4ever, IceShadowKistune, BB-Redustrial-BB, iNUGOME-075, Tokyo Lover 96, animeluver3460, dominygringa, and Sora7.**

**Katsuo: If you were not listed, it is because you never reviewed or Whitewolffy couldn't find your name in the reviews. If your name is toward the end, it does not mean we love you least. It means you reviewed later on in the story ^.^ There are probably a LOT more of you (we know because we viewed it on the 'story traffic' section) but since you didn't take the time to leave a review (or were unable to) you are not listed. *sad panda face* **

**Whitewolfffy: *shuffles back from emo corner* I would like to thank you all for your loyalty and undying patience with my tiny brain. If you are particularly interested in my writing (or you just want to read more about Katsuo), I suggest you go read my other current Inuyasha fanfics. I have a fanfic in progress that includes Katsuo in it! So, go check it out if you are interested. It is called 'It Takes Two'.**

**MUCH LOVE AND HUGGLES TO EVERYONE WHO READ AND REVIEWED! I have loved writing this story because of all of you, and it probably wouldn't be finished if you people hadn't have left reviews. Thank you. Ja ne~**

_**Whitewolfffy~**_


End file.
